There is a story told in the East, which explains this idea in an interesting form. A king was anxious to find some man who really knew alchemy. Many came, but in the end of examination they found that they could not make gold. In the end someone told him that: there is in a village a person living who is simple, most unassuming, but they say that he has the knowledge of alchemy. The king sent for him immediately; and he was brought in the presence of the monarch. When he was brought in the court the king expressed his wish of learning alchemy. And he told him whatever he will ask for it will be given to him. "No", said that man, "I do not know any such thing as you ask." The king said: "Everyone told me, everyone said that you are the person who knows it." "No King", he said, "You have found the wrong person, I am not the person who knows it." "Look here", said the king, "I am going to give you a sentence for your whole life in prison." He said: "Whatever you wish to do you may do. You have found the wrong person for what you want."

"Well", said the king, "I will give you six weeks to think, and till then you will be in prison. In the end of the six weeks I am going to have you put to death." He was put into prison. And every morning the king came to the prison and said: "Now have you changed your mind, can you teach me? Now death is approaching, take care, give that knowledge to me." He said: "No King, go to someone else, who has got what you want; I am not the person that you are seeking for."

And at night, every night the king went as a porter and swept the floor and dusted the room, and took food for him, and sympathized with him, and did everything he could do for him, as a servant could do for him. He asked him: "Is your head aching? Can I do something for you? Are you tired? Can I make your bed for you to lie down? Shall I fan you to sleep? It is hot, it is warm!" Everything that a person could do he did at that time.

And so days passed, and one day remained, the next day of which was appointed for this man to be beheaded. The king visited him every morning and told him: "Now you see there is only one day remaining before your death. And this is your last opportunity of saving your life." He said: "No King, you are looking for someone else, not for me." But at night when that porter came this man said, putting his hand on his shoulder, he said: "Poor man, poor porter, you are so sympathetic. I will whisper in your ears a word, a word of alchemy, and that alchemy will change you from steel to gold."

This porter said: "I do not know what you say: alchemy. I only know to serve you. And only I am sorry that tomorrow you will be beheaded. That is the one thing that tears my heart. I only wish that I would give my life to save yours. I would be most thankful." The alchemist said that: "It is better for me to die rather than give alchemy to the unworthy. It is the same thing which I give you just now in sympathy, in appreciation, in love, which I do not give to that king who will now tomorrow take my life. Why is it? It is because you deserve it; the king does not deserve." He whispered in his ears the words of secret. Instead of making gold he became gold.