Chapter one: Create your own luck

It was a beautiful spring afternoon in Central Park. At that time, Max, a celebrity known by most people in the area as a symbol of success in business and life, was sitting on a bench, carefree watching the flow of people walking around the streets. Go shady in the park. His bright and kind eyes reveal the serenity of an experiencer and reflect the look of a very young soul.

The innocent laughter of children playing nearby made him want to go back to his childhood. He looked up at the branches swaying in the light breeze of the afternoon and the rays of sunlight shimmering on the smooth green grass covered with soft velvet four-leaf clovers spreading under his feet, he had never felt heartbroken. I’m so peaceful. An afternoon as beautiful as ever!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tired-looking old man sat down beside Max. He was Jim – about the same age as Max – in his sixties, but he had a face that looked so austere from years of sunshine and rain in his half-silver hair, but his gait was also take a proud and dignified stance. He has experienced countless ups and downs of his life, especially the last thirty years have been more difficult than ever. For a long time he didn’t know what it was like to taste joy, success or happiness.

When looking at the opposite person, the two suddenly felt something that seemed familiar, evoked from afar but also very close.

– Are you Max? asked the old man.

– And are you Jim? – Max looked at it for a long time and asked in a voice of unspeakable surprise.

– Oh! How many years have passed! ‘ exclaimed the old man named Jim.

– Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Max choked.

They stood up and hugged each other.

Max and Jim have been very close friends since they lived in a poor neighborhood. In those days, people always saw two little boys playing together. They share each marble, piece of cake and the kids in the neighborhood can’t easily bully them because whoever “touches” this one is the other one who lives and dies to protect you.

A hard, hard but warm childhood, the friendship between two young friends was suddenly interrupted when both had just turned ten years old.

“I recognized your blue eyes right away, Jim,” said Max excitedly.

– As for me, I can’t be mistaken, your frank and sincere look from fifty years ago has not changed at all. I still miss you, even though all this time has passed. – Jim said with a trembling voice.

After reminiscing and talking about childhood memories together for a long time, Max said:

– Dear old friend, now tell me about your situation now. I noticed a hint of great sadness in his eyes.

********

Life of Mr.Jim

Jim sighed.

My life has been a long series of failures.

– How was it?

– You probably remember the day my family moved out when we were ten. I left and never came back. You probably don’t know why, do you? At that time, an uncle of my father had just passed away, but he did not have any children. So my father inherited the entire inheritance left by my uncle.

My parents didn’t want people to know, so they changed houses, changed cars, changed neighbors and friends, and we lost contact from that day.

– That’s how it turned out. I always wondered what happened to him. That must be a huge inheritance, isn’t it?

– That’s a huge fortune. In addition to money, my family also inherited a very profitable textile factory. With his talent, my father expanded the factory more and more. When my father passed away, I took care of it for him. But it’s unlucky. Things kept getting worse and worse to this day.

– So what exactly happened to you?

– In a long time managing the company, I have not made any changes because everything seems to be going very smoothly. But then more and more competitors appeared, and my company’s sales began to decline. At that time, my products were still the best, so I think customers would understand that although other brands’ products were cheaper, the quality could not be as good as my company’s. But the customer knows nothing about the good or the bad. They prefer fabrics that are both cheaper and more fashionable.

Jim paused to take a deep breath. It was not easy for him to remember all this again. And Max remained silent. He did not know what to say to share with his childhood friend before this situation. Jim continued:

– Profits went down drastically, but the factory continued to operate, scaled down its business, cut costs to the maximum, but the company’s revenue decreased more and more day by day. I also considered creating a new product but no home

Any investment is willing to spend capital. I didn’t have much of a choice at the time. I was thinking of opening my own chain of stores and it took me almost a year to research about it. But when I was finally able to execute the idea, there wasn’t enough money left.

So I went bankrupt. I was forced to sell my factory, my land, my house… all my possessions. I had everything, got what I wanted, and lost everything. Fortunately, luck was never on my side.

– Then what did you do? – Max asked.

– I don’t know what to do anymore. All the people who once stood by my side in the golden age are now turning their heads. Even my wife left me. I did one thing after another, but none of them lasted long. My life went downhill so much that there was a time when I knew what it was like to be hungry.

For the past fifteen years, I’ve had to do my best to get through the day. I live off the money people give me for doing errands for them. And at one point I had to pick up leftovers from kind neighbors. Indeed, life has not brought me much luck, but the end is unhappy like this.

Jim didn’t want to talk about himself any more, so he turned to Max and asked:

********

– What about you? How is your life? Did you have much luck?

Max smiled and replied.

– You probably remember that my family was very poor, poorer than your family when we lived in that neighborhood. My family has been poor for generations, so many nights we went to bed with an empty stomach, hungry. You probably remember how your mother used to give us less food many times because she understood how difficult life was for our family.

I think you know that I don’t have enough money to go to school. At the age of ten, I began to work to earn money to support the family, right at the time when his family mysteriously disappeared.

Max paused, reflected for a moment, then continued:

– I went to the car wash at first. Then I got my luggage at a big hotel. Then I applied for a job as a security guard at another luxury hotel. When I was twenty-two years old, a great opportunity came my way.

Curious Jim asked:

– What’s the chance?

– I bought a small store that is about to close. I used up all the money I saved up and ran around to borrow money everywhere to buy it. It was a store that made leather bags.

I used to look at almost all handbags when I was working in luxury hotels, so I know what kind of bags rich people like.

So I just had to redo the bags that I carried countless times as a kid carrying luggage for customers.

Max passionately continued:

– At first, I had to sew and sell at the same time. I work almost non-stop, day and night and weekends and holidays. The first year of my business went pretty well, so I invested more in making handbags with genuine leather materials and went around learning about the others  skin stores’ business.

I need to understand better than anyone else about leather bags.

I learned a lot from looking at other stores.

Whenever I get a chance, I ask anyone using a leather handbag what they like and dislike about using it.

Max reminisced about the old days. He continued:

– Revenue keeps increasing. For ten years in a row, I’ve always reinvested what I’ve acquired.

I am also always looking for new opportunities wherever possible.

Every year, I change my best-selling bags, I always tweak the style to make them more and more attractive.

I never put off the work of today to the next day. I am always responsible for everything that happens around me. I got my second, third, fourth puppet, and so on…

Until now, I have more than 2000 workers working in my 20 factories around the world. And I also help and share with many people who are still struggling in life. After all, everything is not easy.

I have worked passionately with all my heart to get where I am today and I am proud of what I have achieved.

********

Jim interrupted Max’s words:

– See, you were luckier than me. Life is just that.

Max said loudly in surprise:

– Do you really think so? Is it true that you simply thought I was too lucky?

Jim hastily replied, his voice mild:

– Oh, I don’t mean to upset you or take lightly what you’ve achieved. But I don’t think your success is solely due to you. Fate only smiles on those lucky enough to be chosen by it. And it smiled at you, not at me. It’s just that, isn’t it?

Max was silent, thought for a long time, then spoke:

“Listen, I don’t inherit a fortune, but I have inherited something even more precious from my grandfather. Do you know what is accidental luck and real luck?

“No,” answered Jim, but he didn’t really care.

– I have learned the difference between the chance luck and real luck through a strange story my late grandfather used to tell me. So many times, and even now, I think this story changed my life. It is always with me in times of failure, when I am afraid, skeptical, distrustful, disappointed and when I am successful and happy.

Thanks to this story, I decided to use all the money I had saved up for six years to buy that old shop. The story has also helped me make many very important decisions in my life.

Max patiently continued while Jim was still absentmindedly looking somewhere:

“Perhaps at this age of sixty no one wants to hear fairy tales anymore, but I don’t think we’re so old that we don’t need to hear a useful story anymore.” People often say: “There’s still water – There’s slaps. Still alive – There’s hope.” If you want, I’ll tell you that story.

Jim was silent and did not answer:

– This special story has helped a lot of people from all walks of life, from athletes, artists, to scientists or researchers, business people, students, for everyone. people of all ages.

Those who see the difference between accidental luck and real luck have achieved unexpected results at work.

It also helps many people find the person they’ve always dreamed of. I will tell you this story because it has helped my personally. And I have also witnessed its effectiveness in countless people.

Hearing this, Jim couldn’t be more indifferent. He said:

– All right, tell me: What’s the difference between accidental luck and real luck?

Max pondered for a long time before answering:

– My family was lucky to suddenly inherit a large fortune. But that luck is not up to us, that’s why it doesn’t last long. On the contrary, true luck is of your own making, it depends on you. That is true luck.

When Jim heard that, he was very surprised:

Does that mean you don’t believe in luck?

– Okay, if you want, I also admit that “heavenly” luck is really hard to exist in this world, but it rarely happens to us and if it does, it won’t last long.

Don’t you know that ninety percent of people who’ve won the lottery have gone bankrupt or reverted to their former state in less than ten years from the day they won the lottery?

On the contrary, good luck can really come to us if we really hope for it. That’s why we call it good luck, something that all of us wish for.

– Why is it real luck? Where do they differ?

– Do you want to hear that story?

Jim hesitated. But then he clicked his tongue in agreement. Anyway, listening to this story has nothing to lose. He was also pleased to see that his childhood friend, he had not seen him for half a century, wanted to tell him a fairy tale at an age when his hair had turned white.

It had been a long time since anyone talked to him as if he were still a little boy.

– Okay, tell me. I’m listening.

SECRET FIRST: Create your own luck.

The luck that comes by chance does not last long because you will tend to rely on and expect the next luck without wanting to do anything.

The luck we create on our own is the real luck, and it will probably stay with us for a long time.

********

Chapter 2: Know how to pursue luck

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom there lived a witch named Merlin. He is a master witch with a chivalrous disposition and is very good at magic and erudite knowledge, so he is admired and respected by everyone near and far. One day he gathered all the knights of the kingdom in the flower garden in front of the castle and said:

– Talented knights, you’ve been asking me to give you a challenge for a long time to prove your talents. Some suggested that we should hold a sword fight for all the knights in the kingdom. Others suggested organizing a treasure hunt or hunting wild animals. Today, however, we will present another challenge that is much more difficult.

The knights were all excited hearing that. Merlin continued:

– I heard that there is a miraculous Four-Leaf Tree that will grow within the next seven days.

The knights look at each other. Whispers were heard everywhere. Some people know what Merlin is talking about. Some others do not. Merlin motioned for everyone to be quiet as he continued:

– Calm down, calm down! Let me explain more clearly. This is the only four-leaf plant in the world so precious that if anyone has it, they will get a very unique gift: eternal luck. This luck is not limited in space and time. It will bring good luck to whoever owns it in battles, in business, in love, in career… in all things in life.

Excitement is growing in the knights. Everyone wants to be the owner of that magical Four-Leaf Tree. Some were even too excited to stand up and draw their swords, shouting with determination:

– Where is the four-leaf tree? I swear I’ll bring…

Once again Merlin worked very hard to silence everyone so that he could listen to him continue:

– Everyone calm down! I have not finished yet! That magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow in the enchanted forest, behind the valley of Forgotten. You have to cross twelve hills to get there. I don’t know the exact location but it will grow somewhere in the enchanted forest.

After listening, all the initial excitement and excitement of the knights suddenly disappeared. An atmosphere of silence enveloped the garden, no one said a word. One could even hear depressed sighs. The Enchanted Forest is as wide as this kingdom, going into it is thousands of miles deep, including vast forests and wild animals. How can I find a tiny four-leaf tree in that mysterious forest? Finding a needle in the pool seems a thousand times easier.

So the knights silently left the royal garden. They resentfully reprimanded Merlin for presenting a challenge so difficult that there was little hope of carrying it out.

The knights got on their horses one by one. In the end, only two knights remained.

– How? “Aren’t you guys back yet?” Merlin asked.

Nott – the black knight, one of the other two spoke up:

– This is a very difficult challenge. Although the Enchanted Forest is vast, I want to find it, I know people who can help me. I’ll go find the magical Four-Leaf Tree. It will be mine.

Sid, the white knight, remained silent until Merlin turned to look at him, trying to guess what he was thinking. Sid says:

– I believe that having a four-leaf plant will bring endless luck to those who own it as he said. And I believe I will do whatever it takes to find it. I will bring it back here. I will set off for the Enchanted Forest.

So the sound of horses’ hooves, two knights, one black, one white, crouched on horseback to head straight for the Enchanted Forest, beginning an adventure full of adventure and fun that perhaps Both will never be forgotten in their lives.

SECOND SECRETS: Know how to pursue luck.

Everyone wants to have luck and success. But only a few are determined to pursue it.

********

Chapter 3:  Dare to change for the better

The journey to the enchanted forest was a very long and tiring one. It took the two knights two days of continuous riding on horseback to reach their desired destination. Thus, they only have five days to find that magical Four-Leaf Tree. They must not waste time. However, they both decided to rest, waiting until the next day to begin their search for that miracle plant.

The two knights each went their separate ways. No one saw anyone, not even in the places where they rested or stopped their horses for a drink. They also did not know where the other was in the forest.

The Enchanted Forest is a wild and dark forest. The dense foliage overlaps each other, making it impossible for sunlight to penetrate, so all year round the forest looks dark even during the day.

At night, the forest was silent and terrifyingly cold, and here and there came the howls and growls of strange and mysterious animals. All the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest noticed and watched the presence of the two strangers who had just entered here.

Early the next morning, upon awakening, Nott – the knight in black robes – was ready to begin his search. For safety and to avoid wild animals last night, he slept on a fork of an old tree. Nott think:

“The magical Four-Leaf Tree, of course, grows out of the ground. And who knows every inch of this forest? It’s easy: it’s none other than Gnome – Prince of the Earth. Gnome God. lives underground and makes all the tunnels through this forest. He’ll tell me where the magical Four-Leaf Tree grows.”

So Nott got on his horse and went to inquire of all the creatures he encountered on the way back to the Gnome’s abode. It took almost a day, and Nott finally found him.

– What do you want, black knight? ‘ asked the Gnome. ‘Everyone says you’ve been looking for me all day.

Nott jumped off his horse and replied:

– Right. I am told that in five days a miraculous Four-Leaf Tree will grow in this forest. And it can only grow from the ground. So he – the Prince of the Earth – surely knows where it will grow. He was the only one who knew every hairline of this vast forest.

He wrote more clearly than anyone the root of each bush, blade of grass. If within five days the miraculous Four-Leaf Tree would grow in this forest, he would have seen its roots by now. Tell me where it is.

– Hmm… – The Gnome God pondered.

Nott went on to say:

“You and I both know that the magical Four-Leaf Tree only brings good luck to knights.” It was of no value to him or to any of the inhabitants of this forest. Tell me where it will grow. I’m sure you know that.

The Gnome God answered slowly:

– I know the power of the magical Four-Leaf Tree, and for myself – a Prince of the Earth – I have had enough luck. But I have never seen the roots of a four-leaf tree in this forest.

In fact, the four-leaf tree never grew in the Enchanted Forest. It cannot grow here. Whoever told you that must have lied to you.

Nott heard this and shouted angrily:

– Are you sure you’re not lying to me? Or would he have told Sid – the white knight riding the white horse – about that tree!

– What are you talking about? I don’t know Sid or the idiot who told you this nonsense. There has never been a four-leaf tree in this forest, not even a three-leaf tree. The four-leaf plant doesn’t grow here simply because it can’t. That’s all. So leave me alone. I have lived in this forest for more than a hundred and fifty years and no one has ever asked me such a stupid question. Don’t waste my time. Go home!

Nott realized he couldn’t ask any more, so he mounted his horse and turned away and decided to wait until the next day. Maybe Gnome was right – for he had no reason to lie – and what if the sorcerer Merlin said something that wasn’t true!

At that time, Nott understood the feelings of those who knew that luck had not smiled on them. He felt a vague fear. However, the easiest way to dispel skepticism at that moment is to say to yourself, “That’s not true.” So Nott decided not to believe Gnome’s word. He planned to ask a few more people the next day.

********

Meanwhile on Tuesday morning, Sid – the white knight – was thinking the same thing as Nott. He also knew that Gnome was the god he needed to turn to to ask about the four-leaf tree. All day long, he went to ask many strange creatures in the forest where he lived. He finally found the Gnome standing grumbling at the gate of a giant cave just minutes after Nott had left.

Sid stepped off his horse respectfully and said:

– Are you the god Gnome, the god that people often call the Prince of the Earth?

– Yes, I am Gnome. What do people want from us?

– Sir, someone told me that in five days a miraculous Four-Leaf Tree would grow in this forest and…

Before Sid could finish his sentence, he saw the Gnome’s face as red as a tomato. He sighed angrily.

“How the hell is everyone asking me about that stupid four-leaf plant?” I just told a knight who arrived a few minutes ago: there’s never been a four-leaf tree in this forest. Simply because that kind of plant can’t grow here, that’s all. Whoever told you that must be wrong, or maybe he is deceiving you. You’d better hurry back to the castle or go save some lady in danger. Don’t waste any more time here.

Hearing the Gnome’s words, Sid was silent in thought. “According to Merlin, the magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow in this forest, but according to the Gnome it’s impossible. Maybe both are right. So if you keep looking for it, If, under the current conditions available, the miraculous Four-Leaf Tree could not grow, the best thing to do now would be to find the necessary conditions for the four-leaf plant to grow. can grow”. So Sid tries to calm him down:

– Please don’t be angry! Are you saying that there has never been a four-leaf tree in this forest?

“I told you NEVER,” shouted the Gnome indignantly, turning to leave.

“Please don’t go,” Sid pleaded. “Please tell me why. I just need to know why a four-leaf tree can’t grow in this forest.

– It’s because of the land here, of course. No one has ever changed the land in this forest. No one is willing to change, re-cultivate this land to make it more fertile. And four-leaf plants need good soil to grow.

– Then my lord, if I improve the land here, if I change it, the four-leaf tree can grow right?

– Of course. Don’t you know that it is only when you do new things that you can achieve new results? If the soil here is not changed, everything will stay the same and there will never be a four-leaf tree growing here.

– Do you know where I can find new land?

The god Gnome had almost disappeared in the underground rock cave. His hand was about to slam the stone door separating him from the outside world, but he still answered Sid:

“A few miles away there is an unused wasteland. It used to be the latrine of the twelve-legged cows, so it was lush and fertile. You can go there and get it.

Sid is full of thanks to Gnome. With joy he jumped on the white horse and quickly headed for the land of the twelve-legged oxen. He knew the chances were slim, but at least he was doing something to improve the situation. It helps to ignite a new hope in him.

He reached that land when the sky was glimmering the last rays of sunlight. It wasn’t difficult for the Sids to find the land right away. It is indeed a fertile land, the soil is very new and at a glance, it is immediately known that it is rich in fertilizers. He could only fit two large bags to hang on the saddle, but that was enough to help him fertilize a small, fertile plot of land.

Soon, Sid found a quiet and secluded place in the woods. “This seems like the right place,” he thought to himself. He began to pummel all the trees and overgrown weeds with his sword, and then he worked diligently to dig up the old soil – the soil that had never been changed – for in the end he covered it with the new fertile soil he had just planted.

When he was done, Sid lay down to rest. He could only carry enough soil to cover a few small meters of soil. Is that the land where the magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow? If we were a little realistic, we might as well realize this is impossible. Just a few feet of land in this vast forest is like one opportunity out of a billion.

However, he did do something very important: he created something different, something no one had ever done for this forest. If there has never been a four-leaf plant here, if no one has ever found it, it is because all those people have been repeating the same old things, the things that the had done before. As a true knight, Sid knew he needed to make a difference, and that was the first step to success.

Sid lay there looking at the little piece of land he had just plowed. He saw that the Gnome was telling the truth, and Merlin wasn’t lying either. Those two truths are obviously very contradictory, but after doing the previous things, that contradiction has disappeared. He thought to himself, “There has never been a four-leaf tree in this forest in the past, so that doesn’t mean it won’t be able to grow in the future. Now the soil conditions are different.”

Sid gradually fell asleep.

In a dream, he dreamed and seeing a scene where a four-tree sprouted from the land from the small piece of land he had just created.

The dream helps him forget the possibility that fate will not smile on him, and luck will help him choose the right spot where the four-leaf tree will grow in the next few days.

Nightfall. Only four days left.

SECRET THIRD: Dare to change for the better.

If you’re unlucky now, chances are you’re maintaining the old environment.

In order to have good luck, you should not hesitate, you must renovate, you must create better conditions and environments.

********

Chapter 4: Know how to share and help others

Wednesday morning the forest suddenly became colder than usual. The songs of birds such as nightingales, robins, yellow-winged birds, swallows… gradually drown out the chirping crickets when the dark night is turning to dawn shining through each leaf.

Nott – the knight in black – climbed onto the horse to start a new day not very optimistic. The Gnome’s words still haunted him. Nott thought maybe the Gnome was lying. It wasn’t true, he told himself. Even though that didn’t lead him anywhere, it at least calmed him down. Nott decided today he would go and ask other people. Maybe you’ll get lucky!

After five hours of riding on horseback, Nott heard the sound of a waterfall flowing somewhere. Feeling thirsty, Nott followed the sound of the water. It eventually led him to a very large lake.

The lake view looks beautiful. The sides of the lake were lined with white and red lilies that gave off a fragrant scent. Nott sat down by the lakeside and took a sip of water while the black horse drank to keep the water fresh. Suddenly, a voice behind him startled Nott to his feet.

– Who are you?

A voice sweet but deep, thin but tough, inviting but cold. Nott turned around and recognized the Lady of the Lake. She has an enchanting beauty. Her body is made up of a clear water that you can see through. Nott had heard of the Lady of the Lake. He quickly understood that he could extract valuable information from her.

– I’m Nott – the black knight.

– What are you and your black horse doing by my lake? You have finished drinking. What else is needed? Do you know that you are awakening my beautiful lilies? It’s their nap time now. If you wake them up, they won’t sing tonight. Their vocals will help absorb water in the lake at night.

If they don’t sing, the water in the lake won’t evaporate, and if the water stops evaporating, the lake will become full, and if the lake is too much water causing flooding, a lot of trees and forest creatures will die.  So keep quiet and go.

“Wait, wait,” Nott interrupted, “I don’t care about your problems. We’ll go right now. I just want to ask you one thing. You, Lady of the Lake, you distribute water throughout the forest of Enchantment, you, who water all the corners of this forest, tell me: Where will the four-leaf tree grow in the next few days?

The lake queen heard that and burst out laughing. It was a voice that was half amused, half mocking. Her laughter was both shrill and deep, and echoed for thousands of miles. When she stopped laughing, her face quickly turned serious.

– No four-leaf plant can grow here. Don’t you see that all the water that I distribute to the enchanted forest comes from seeping through the ground? My water does not flow into rivers or streams, it permeates from the shores of the lake to every nook and cranny of the enchanted forest. Have you seen any puddles in this forest?

The four-leaf plant needs a lot of water. It needs a stream that is always flowing to supply it with water. You will never find a four-leaf tree in this forest.

After saying that, the Lady of the Lake disappeared into the water. It was an amazing sight. The water that made up her figure suddenly fell and melted into thousands of tiny drops of water that splashed on the surface of the lake.

Nott paid little heed to the wondrous sight he had just witnessed. He was tired of hearing everyone say the same thing about four-leaf plants. He stood there dumbfounded, thinking.

What’s happening? He began to realize that luck was definitely not on his side. This made him feel scared, a fear that was worse than when he had just finished talking to the Gnome.

– We have to find someone to say otherwise. I must find someone who assures me that the lucky four-leaf tree will grow in this forest, Nott muttered to himself.

Nott began to hate luck. It’s so evil! It is the most desirable but also the most difficult to obtain in this world. And Nott couldn’t stand the feeling. Waiting dismayed him, but for now, it was the only thing Nott could do.

What else can you do? So Nott got on his horse and wandered aimlessly through the woods, hoping that he would suddenly be lucky enough to spot the magical Four-Leaf Tree somewhere.

********

That same day, Sid woke up a little later than usual. With his sword in hand, he slept while watching over wild animals. Last night, he had to stay up late at work, so he decided to allow himself a little more sleep to regain his health.

After feeding the white horse, he thought about what he would do today.

– I already have land, now I need to know how much water that land needs. I know that the probability of choosing the right location where the tree will grow is very low, but maybe I’m lucky?

So I need to make sure that land has enough water it needs.

He didn’t have to think long to know where he needed to find water. Any knight knows that the best source of water in the enchanted forest is the water of the Lady of the Lake. It took him a long time to get to this lake, only a few minutes after Nott had left boredly.

Sid dismounted slowly and approached the lake. He walked very quietly, very quietly, but suddenly he accidentally stepped on a golden snail that made it squeal. Immediately, the water queen emerged from the middle of the lake, resplendent in her beautiful water dress. Again she grumbled indignantly:

– What are you and your white horse doing by my lake? What do you want here? I just met a guy just like you. I must repeat, do you know that you are awakening my beautiful lilies? It’s their nap time now. My lilies always sleep during the day and wake up singing at night.

If you wake them up, they won’t sing tonight. Their vocals help to absorb the water in the lake. If they don’t sing, the water in the lake will not evaporate, and if the water does not evaporate, the lake will be flooded, and if the lake is too full of water causing flooding, a lot of trees, fruits, and forest creatures will be dead. So keep quiet and go. Don’t wake my lilies again!

Sid was still in shock when he witnessed such a strange scene, but was confused by the problem he had just caused the Lady of the Lake. Sid needs water for his land, but if he stays here to collect water all day, he will wake up those beautiful lilies again.

Things are getting complicated! In the Enchanted Forest, there was nowhere to get water except here. What should he do now? In any case, he did his best. And Sid didn’t know what to do today, so he turned his attention to the problems of the Lady of the Lake. Maybe he could help her a little bit.

– Lady of the lake, why doesn’t the water flow out of the lake? All lakes have flowing water.

– Because… because…

– For the first time, her voice no longer contained two opposing shades. It was a sad and painful voice.

– Because my lake doesn’t have any stream. There are no streams or springs of water here. Water can only fall or flow into us. I only receive water in without creating any flow to take water from me.

So we always have to make sure that the lilies sleep during the day so they can sing at night. So we can’t sleep during the day, and at night their songs keep waking us up. I am a slave to my country. Well, you go and don’t wake them up.

Sid realizes that what she lacks is exactly what he needs: a stream.

“I can help you,” Sid offered. “But do you know how much water a four-leaf plant needs?”

– It needs a lot of water, exactly it needs water directly from a stream. The soil where the four-leaf plant grows should always be filled with water.

“Then in this case,” he offered cheerfully, “I can help you and you can help me.

– Shh… Don’t talk like that! You woke up one of my lilies. All right, say it, but quietly.

– If you will allow me, I will dig a trench from the lake. The water will run along that trench creating a stream, so the water will no longer accumulate in the lake. I won’t make any noise. You won’t have to worry about her lilies anymore. You can also sleep whenever she wants.

The lake queen was a little surprised and thought for a long time, but she finally agreed.

– Okay, I trust you, but you can’t make a noise.

After saying that, the Lady of the Lake suddenly disappeared to Sid’s astonishment.

Without wasting a second, Sid climbed onto the horse’s back. He drew his precious sword tightly in his hand and leaned down to the side of the horse, he let the sword lie vertically, pressing hard against the ground and gripping the hilt. He controlled the white horse to run slowly back to his land.

As the horse ran, the sword made a deep cut. His hand was weary, and at times the sword in his hand trembled when it encountered a tree root, but he held on with all his strength.

The closer he got to the ground, the deeper he pressed his sword to create a slope. Then he turned and did it again, about half an arm’s length from the sword’s path.

Then he turned and patiently used his sword and hand to make a deep trench between the two swords, wherever he dug, the water crept up to it, and softened the ground. He continued his work of creating water until evening.

His hands were bloody and covered with dirt.

Sid finally succeeded: he was delighted to see the small, clear water flowing to where it was needed, his land created, and from there the water permeated everywhere around.

He brought water to his small land by creating a stream directly originates from the lake, and at the same time partially fakes the amount of water that is stagnant in the lake. It’s something that has never happened before. He was washing his sword while looking at the small stream that was flowing with joy.

That night, lying beside the land, he was satisfied with what he had accomplished. He remembered the advice of his late grandfather: Life will give you what you give. Other people’s problems are often a solution for you. If you are willing to share, you will receive more.

And this is exactly what happened to Sid: he agreed to forget about taking water so as not to wake the lilies, and just as she tried to share in the mistress of the lake, he found a solution. decide on their own.

Oddly enough, Sid now feels less anxious about whether his chosen land is exactly where the magical Four-Lay Tree will grow. There were times in his mind when he felt that he had wasted a lot of time and effort taking care of a place that was unlikely to be the place where the four-leaf tree would grow.

But after such moments he always told himself: he did what he should have done, which is more important than whether he was lucky enough to be in the right place.

Why? He doesn’t know either. He just felt it was right. Probably after changing the new soil, the next thing to do is to provide water for it. He is doing what he has to do. And this gives him a sense of well-being, making him less likely to have to worry about other things.

In fact, Sid also felt very clearly his own rare ability when he chose this random position. Yet he knew two reasons why the magical Four-Leaf Tree had never grown in the Enchanted Forest, and he was sure he would know more tomorrow. First of all like that. And he was satisfied with what he had done.

Sid tries to comfort his sleep. From time to time, he sat up and looked at the small land that had just been watered by a cool stream. Tonight he once again dreamed of a four-leaf tree sprouting and rising. How happy he feels.

The darkness of night slowly fell. Only three days left.

SECRET FOURTH: Know how to share and help others.

Seeking the conditions that create luck does not mean just aiming for one’s own gain.

When you give, you think you are receiving.

Just looking to find the conditions of luck, and knowing how to share and help others will make luck come to you faster.

********

Chapter 5: Don’t procrastinate – Act now

The next morning, Nott – the black knight, woke up in a rather depressed mood. According to the Gnome and the Lake Lady, he was clearly wasting his time here. Now should he continue to stay or not? The thought of giving up began to creep into Nott’s mind. However, the journey to the enchanted forest was still long, and since Nott was here now, he decided to hold on to the end.

Nott didn’t know what to do. Now who do you talk to? Nott rode his horse around in the woods, not knowing where to go.

On the way, Nott encountered many strange creatures that can only be found in the Enchanted forest, but he did not bother to pay attention. Now, he focused on only one thing: straining his eyes for any sign that would help him find the four-leaf plant. Nott suddenly remembered that he had not talked to Sequoia – Queen of the trees. She was the first inhabitant of the forest, so she must know something about the four-leaf tree.

Nott ran right to the center of the forest. Sequoia was the first tree to grow in this forest, so she stood tall in the middle of the forest. Nott jumped off his horse and walked in front of her. He knew that in the Enchanted Forest, all living things and even many other lifeless animals could talk. So Nott greeted her:

– Dear Sequoia – Queen of plants. Can you talk to me?

There was no reply at all. Nott tried one more time:

– O Sequoia – Queen of the trees – I am talking to you. Please answer me. Do you know who I am? I am Ser Nott here.

Sequoia began to sway her great body, and spoke in a heavy voice:

– Of course I know who you are. Don’t you know that I know every tree in this forest? Don’t you know that all the trees in this forest are in constant communication with each other through their leaves? Information is transmitted rapidly through interwoven branches.

Ask me what you want to know and then go. I’m over two thousand years old. Don’t make too many long stories that make us tired.

“I’ll keep it short,” replied Nott. “I’m told that within three days from today, a miraculous Four-Leaf Tree will grow in this forest. Yet neither the Gnome nor the Lake Queen assured me that a four-leaf tree had never grown in the Enchanted Forest. She lived from day one in this forest. She knows all the letters that take place here because she still talks to all the plants all the time.

My question is simple: Is it true that a four-leaf tree has never grown in this forest?

Seqouia thought silently. She began to trace back her old memories, from two thousand years ago, going from year to year stored in every grain of wood in her huge body. And this takes time. Minute by minute passed and Nott began to get impatient:

– Come on, please answer me. We’re in a hurry.

– I’m still thinking. I’m trying to remember here. You, like most people, are impatient! You need to learn the patience of trees.

Another five minutes passed. Nott couldn’t take it anymore. He turned his head to leave, thinking that Queen Sequoia didn’t want to answer. But just as Nott was about to get on his horse, Sequoia began to speak. Like a librarian, having to search through two thousand books in a library, she only answers once she has found it.

“That’s right, there’s never been a four-leaf tree growing in the Enchanted Forest, especially a Magic Four-Leaf Tree.” This has never happened in the last two thousand years. Never.

Nott felt a great disappointment take hold of him. Clearly Merlin was wrong. Or even worse… maybe he’s trying to trick me.

Nott was really depressed. This was the third resident of this forest to say that luck was not on his side – it was full of very trustworthy people. He was so obsessed with that reality that he couldn’t see things more holistically and clearly.

Hearing something over and over again made him more and more convinced that it was true. He couldn’t realize that he needed to do something, so Nott became extremely miserable.

********

In contrast to Nott, on the same morning, Ser Sid awoke more refreshed and more hopeful than ever. He thought about what he had achieved: new land with lots of water. If that was where the magical Four-Leaf Tree would grow, now he wanted to know how much light and shade it needed.

Sid was a knight, not a professional gardener, so he needed to consult someone knowledgeable about plants. He wondered who he should meet. Suddenly a thought flashed through:

– Of course! Who else is Sequoia? She is the master of the trees and the wisest tree in this forest. She will definitely help me.

Sid got on his horse and ran straight to the middle of the forest. A giant, old transplant took over his cool when he arrived. He knew immediately that it was Sequoia. Immediately he dismounted, knelt down, and respectfully said:

– Dear Sequoia – Queen of the trees. Can someone take a moment to talk to me?

Just like last time with Nott, there was no reply. Sid pleads:

– Dear Sequoia – Queen of the venerable plants. If you are not too tired, I would like to ask you something. And if you don’t want to talk now, I’ll come back later.

In truth, Sequoia wasn’t about to answer another haughty knight’s insolent question, but from Sid’s words and mannerisms she saw that he was not one of those knights. As Sid was about to get up to leave, Sequoia spoke up:

– We are really tired. But tell me, what do you want to ask me?

– Thank you for answering me. My question is simple: How much light does a four-leaf plant need?

– Um… Sequoia mused. But this time she didn’t need to think for long because she knew the answer all too well.

– It needs as much light as shade. But you won’t find a place like that in this forest. You see, this forest is covered with dense foliage everywhere. That’s why there are no four-leaf plants growing here. That is the answer to your question. Goodbye now. Take care, boy.

But Sid is not easily discouraged.

– Wait, sir. Just one more question, I beg You. Queen of trees, will you allow me to prune some branches in this forest?

Sequoia replied:

– You don’t need my permission. Cut off dead branches and dead leaves. No one in this forest has ever worked to keep it clean and healthy. No one bothered to cut down the old branches, so there couldn’t be any light here, and the tree couldn’t be healthy. The inhabitants of this forest are very lazy.

They just like to roam around all day and always leave what needs to be done today until “tomorrow”. So just do what you want. You don’t need my approval. Any tree will be delighted if you do that for it.

– Thank! Thank you very much!

Sid stepped back respectfully, then turned and climbed onto the horse’s back.

So the white knight galloped straight to his lush, water-ready little piece of land. It is getting dark at this time. Just cut down the branches and you’re done. He can rest now and start working the next day. But Sid suddenly remembered Sequoia’s words. She said that people often leave work until tomorrow.

And Sid also recalls a piece of advice that has always worked for him: “Act now, don’t procrastinate.” It seemed like he wouldn’t need to do anything more so he could leave this for tomorrow. But if he did it now, he’d have another free day and maybe it would help him more. So Sid decided to take advantage of the morning time to do it today.

Always true to his principles, he acted and did not procrastinate on what needed to be done.

Sid starts climbing the trees in the selected area. He wasn’t sure where the light would shine, and he didn’t want to take any chances, so he decided to climb up the twelve large trees one by one and cut the branches off with his sword. He worked tirelessly through the night, as if the most important thing in the world right now to him was pruning trees.

And the end result is amazing. The rays of light that had penetrated the thick foliage fell on the land, illuminating an entire forest.

Sid was overjoyed. Strangely, the more he worked, the less he thought about whether the place where he had cultivated the earth, brought in water, and cleared the trees was the place where the miraculous Four-Leaf Tree would grow? Are not? He knew the requirements of a four-leaf plant and he had provided them all.

So what will he do tomorrow? Who knows, there are still very necessary things that he hasn’t done yet? He worked all night to make up for it.

Although he slept only for a moment, in his sleep he dreamed of the miraculous Four-Leaf Tree.

In this dream, he saw it rise strong from his wet and lush soil.

He saw its four heart-shaped leaves open to catch the bright rays of the sun through the giant branches that surrounded it.

So there are only two days left.

SECRET FIVE: Don’t procrastinate – Act now.

If you DELAY the creation of new conditions, luck may never come.

Sometimes creating new conditions is hard work but… do it as soon as possible.

********

Chapter 6 : Know how to care, notice the small but necessary things

On Friday morning, Nott was still wandering sadly through the jungle. Sure he knew he wouldn’t find a four-leaf clover, but he didn’t want to go back to the castle alone. I’ll go find Sid and come back with him, if he gets laughed at, two is better than one anyway.

It was Nott’s most boring day in the Enchanted Forest. He didn’t know what to do but run and hunt some strange creatures or beasts. Occasionally he also stumbles across unique, strange plants that he has never seen before. But nothing more than that. There were no wild animals to test, though that night there were still mysterious howls.

The worst part is the sad feeling that he is feeling more clearly than ever, that is: he is sure that he will never have luck in his life, otherwise he would be now. must have found the magical Four-Leaf Tree. Otherwise, of course, Merlin would have cheated on him.

But if Merlin had tricked him, why were he still here waiting? Waiting means believing in Merlin, hoping for some luck to come, but the more he waits, the more he finds that luck is getting farther and farther away from him. What did you do wrong? Why do you feel so miserable? He wondered: “I deserve luck. Why hasn’t it come to me?”

All that day, he wandered through the forest with such pessimistic thoughts. Since he didn’t know what else to do, Nott decided to go and talk to Ston – Mother of all stones. He wanted one more person to confirm what he already knew: that there was no four-leaf tree in this forest, that he was an unlucky man.

Not surprisingly, Nott made this decision because it is a characteristic of people who consider themselves unlucky. They look for people to help them reaffirm their cynical thoughts. The feeling that they are a victim, a person cheated, an unlucky person is not good, but at least it helps them feel a little bit lighter.

God Ston dwells on the summit of Mother Mountain, a craggy mountain full of thorny boulders. Climbing this mountain is quite a challenge. From the top of Nott mountain, you will see the entire Enchanted forest and maybe you will see Sid somewhere. I’ll talk to Sid to see if he wants to come back with me.

When Nott reached the top of the mountain, he saw Ston talking to a twelve-winged bird. As soon as it saw Nott, the bird immediately flew away.

– Look! One of the two knights looking for luck has arrived! For the past four days you have been the main talk in this forest. Have you found the magical Four-Leaf Tree? She looked at Nott and smiled mockingly.

Nott replied, clearly furious:

– You know I haven’t found it yet! Ston, tell me, hasn’t a four-leaf tree ever grown in this forest? Or could it be that it grows around here, lurking in these rocks?

God Ston could not see the smile, she laughed endlessly:

– Of course not! Your voice seems to want to confirm that too. How can you expect a four-leaf plant to grow on these rocks? You must have lost your mind. You must be careful. Anyone who wanders here for too long without any definite purpose will go mad. Not a single four-leaf plant can grow here. Four-leaf plants cannot grow where there are rocks.

Having nothing more to say, Nott slowly climbed down the mountain. The sound of Ston’s mocking laughter echoed in the distance.

Now there’s nothing he can do. His desired fear was finally confirmed: “I will never have any luck.” – he thought. Then Nott suddenly remembered Sid and he felt a little happier. Nott thought, “That madman probably wouldn’t find the magical Four-Leaf Tree even if he digs up this forest.” Thinking about other people’s failures made Nott feel lighter, more relaxed, even amused. “If there’s no magic Four-Leaf Tree for me, there won’t be one for him either.”

Then Nott safely climbed on horseback to find a place to sleep for the night.

********

In contrast to Nott, that morning, as soon as he awoke, Sid saw immediately the result of what he had done the night before: he saw the bright rays of the sun illuminating the lush, watery land he had prepare.

He felt happy and proud of himself.

He did all that was necessary for a four-leaf tree to grow. Now it was only a matter of whether he chose the right place or not, but he didn’t have to worry much about that anymore.

Today is the last day, so deciding what to do today is very important. Since he had done all that he considered necessary, the wise thing to do now would be to find out if anything was left out.

Earth, water, light… do you need anything else?

So all morning he went and asked all the creatures he came across in the forest, see what conditions a four-leaf tree needs to grow in addition to soil, water, light and shade. But no one could give him a satisfactory answer.

It was late afternoon. He couldn’t think of anyone else to ask. Looking up at the sky, his eyes suddenly saw a very high mountain peak in the distance. Maybe I should go up there. Who knows, maybe from the top he could find things to do?

All the knights knew that the highest point in the Enchanted forest was Mother Mountain, but when Sid reached Mother Mountain, he realized how high it was. Only half a day left until Merlin’s final deadline. Should he climb or not? Even if he discovered something more up there, he wouldn’t have time to do it.

However, Sid still decided to climb the mountain. Why? Simply because he thinks about what he has done, his efforts and efforts have spent. After all that he had achieved, it was pointless not to go all the way.

Sid began to climb the high mountain that stood before him. The gentle breezes ease the fatigue of the journey to conquer the Mother Mountain. Once he reached the top, he sat down and scanned the distant horizon, hoping to find some inspiration. But nothing happened.

Suddenly a scream startled him, and to his surprise, it came from… right under his seat.

– You took my breath away!

Sid jumped up so quickly that he almost fell off the side of the mountain.

– A talking stone? Unbelievable!

– I am not a talking stone. I’m Ston – Mother of stones – She angrily corrects Sid – You must be a knight looking for… ha, ha, ha… the magical Four-Leaf Tree?

– Are you really the Mother of Stones? If so, he probably doesn’t know much about four-leaf trees, does he?

“Of course I don’t know much about it, but I do know a little. I told the knight in black that a four-leaf tree cannot grow where there are rocks.

– You say it’s a four-leaf plant?

– That’s right, a four-leaf plant.

– What about the three-leaf tree?

– Three-leaf plants can grow on rocky soil. However, the four-leaf plant is very weak, so it needs clean soil to grow.

This difference may not be noticed by many people, but for Sid it is different. He understands that it is very important to know what other people really don’t know or care about. Sometimes the key elements can be found in seemingly trivial details.

– OH! Why didn’t I think of that before? Thank you very much! I have to go here. Time is running out!

Sid hurriedly climbed down the mountain and ran straight to his land. By the time Sid arrived, he had only two hours left in the morning before he could unearth the hidden stones in his new soil. Indeed, the land he had chosen was filled with rocks. Even if he had chosen the right place, the miraculous Four-Leaf Tree would not have grown in such a rocky place.

Sid recognizes the importance of the saying: “Don’t assume you’ve already tried, you can still do something useful.” It was this that had always helped him to look and move forward. Sid also realizes that the most important things are often hidden in the most trivial things.

Even when everything seems to be done, if we have the right attitude, always willing to know if there is anything else that needs to be done, there will always be a sign telling us that.

Indeed, that is how it all happened. Luckily Sid didn’t delay pruning the branches, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have had time to find out that he needed to get rid of the rocks in order for the four-leaf tree to grow.

Just like the previous nights, in his restless sleep on the rough ground, Sid dreamed of a four-leaf tree. He dreamed that it was growing beautifully in the middle of the fresh, water-filled, and stone-cutting ground.

He also dreamed of holding it in his hands, enjoying the intensely fragrant scent secreted from the green heart-shaped leaves. It was so real that he was sure that this was where the magical Four-Leaf Tree had first grown. How happy the dream made him!

The darkness of the night is thick. Only one more day left. Tomorrow, according to Sid’s dream, the magical Four-Leaf Tree, the tree that brings endless luck, will grow in the enchanted forest.

SECRETS 6: Know how to care, notice the small but necessary things.

Sometimes, in the most perfect conditions – luck still does not come.

Please really look for, care about seemingly unimportant conditions, the smallest but necessary details to create luck.

********

Chapter 7 :  Dare to believe in what you have created

After talking to Ston, Nott got bored and went looking for a place to spend the night. As he groped in the dark, he suddenly felt his black horse stomping on soft, wet ground, and high above the branches that had been cleared away. A little further away, Nott saw Sid resting with a sword in his hand, next to a white horse tied to a tree, watching over Sid’s sleep.

– Sid! – Nott called loudly.

Sid woke up immediately. He hasn’t woken up yet. Recognizing Nott, he rejoiced:

– Oh, Nott. How’s it going? Have you found the four-leaf plant yet?

-Four and not three cards! – Nott said in a bored voice, “Three days have been a waste, I’ve been looking and can’t find it. The very first day Gnome told me there were no four-leaf trees in this forest, and it must have been. I have stopped searching, wasting my time in vain.

If so, what are you still doing here? Why don’t you go back to your castle?

Before Nott could reply, he noticed that Sid’s clothes were tattered and covered with dirt and his shoes were stained with dirt.

– What happened to you? Nott asked surprised.

– Ever since the day Gnome told me four-leaf plants couldn’t grow here, I’ve spent all my time creating this place. Look, how lush and fertile this land is! Look! That’s the little stream I dug from where the Lady of the Lake came… and look, look at this…

– Sid continued excitedly showing Nott what he’d accomplished – Here’s the whole thing leftover rocks and branches that I cut down in two days, because as you probably know…

Nott interrupted:

– Have you lost your mind, Sid? Are you crazy enough to work like an ox to create this only a few meters of land if you don’t know if a four-leaf tree grows here or not?

Can’t you see that this forest is a million times larger than this tiny piece of land? Are you stupid or do you have another problem? He didn’t understand that what he was doing was of no use unless someone told him exactly where the four-leaf plant would grow. You must have lost your mind. I’ll see you again in town. Now I have to find something to eat.

Nott quickly disappeared into the night, leaving Sid to watch. He was shocked at Nott’s words. He thought to himself:

– Merlin said we could find the magical Four-Leaf Tree, but he didn’t say that it didn’t take much effort to find it. I must be doing something, nothing in this world happens by itself.

SECRET 7: Dare to believe in what you have created.

For those who only believe in luck, creating the conditions for mya to be lucky seems silly.

As for those who dare to believe, dare to create the conditions of luck, they do not believe in lucky things.

********

Chapter 8: Luck cannot be bought or sold

The dark night covered the forest. The cold wind blew through the big trees as if to signal that this night was not going to be a peaceful night for the two knights.

When Nott was still in a restless sleep waiting for dawn to return to his castle, suddenly a loud and very strange noise startled him awake. Quick as hell, Nott stood up and drew his shining sword into a stance.

– Uuu!… Uuuuu!…

The ghastly cry came from Morgana’s owl – the dark witch. She stood right beside Nott, her shimmering figure reflecting the rays of light from the bonfire he had lit last night.

– Who are you? What do you want? Be careful, my blade doesn’t know the difference between friend and foe.

– Put down the sword. I’m Morgana. I came here to negotiate with you.

– Negotiate? I don’t want any courtesy to an evil witch, especially you. You are known to be evil.

– Are you sure you don’t want to talk to me about… The magical Four-Leaf Tree? – She lowered her voice sinisterly. She bared her white teeth, rubbing her long dirty nails together with pleasure, her pointed and hooked nose wrinkled, trying to smile kindly. I pretend to turn my back.

Nott sheathed her sword and stepped forward.

– Wait. Say. What do you know?

– I know where the magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow.

– Continue. Where? Don’t waste any more time. Hurry up! – Nott was starting to lose patience.

“I’ll tell you if you promise to do this for me.”

– What?

– I want you to kill Merlin when you meet him.

– What? Why do we have to kill Merlin?

Because he cheated on you. He and I both know where the magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow. Our exchange is simple: I tell you where the magical Four-Leaf Tree grows, and you kill Merlin for me. Endless luck will be yours and I will destroy my opponent.

In fact, Nott really resented Merlin because he thought he had been cheated for the past few days. He just wanted to punish Merlin immediately, so he quickly agreed.

This is not strange at all. When a person has lost faith in finding something, he will naturally try to buy it from whoever sells it to him. Indeed, those who wish

lucky people always believe that they can find it easily without much effort. And apparently this is happening with Nott.

– Agree. Now tell me where does the magical Four-Leaf Tree grow?

Don’t forget that you promised me. Tomorrow the magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow in… in the flower garden of Merlin’s castle. It will never grow in this forest.

– What? Nott shouted, unable to believe what he had just heard.

– Of course. Don’t you realize it? Merlin wants to trap all the knights in the kingdom. He wants everyone to come here to make it easy for him to act. But only the two of you came. Merlin thinks there will be more people. However, he also achieved his goal of making people ignore his garden. No one expected to find a four-leaf plant there. Tomorrow he will go there and uproot the magical Four-Leaf Tree and possess it. You must hurry. It took you two days to get here, but now you only have one night to return. Hurry up, you don’t have much time left.

Nott was furious. In the end, everything came together. No wonder all the inhabitants of this forest considered him an idiot, spending countless hours searching for a four-leaf tree that would never grow here.

Nott hurriedly jumped on his horse and disappeared into the darkness of the forest, galloping towards the king’s palace.

SECRETS 8: Luck cannot be bought or sold.

No one can sell their luck.

And luck can’t be bought from anyone.

Luck must be created by the person himself. Don’t trust anyone trying to sell or pass it on to you.

********

Chapter 9: Don’t trust anyone who wants to sell you luck and success

The sorceress Morgana let out a laugh of delight and malice and gathered herself together with the owl and flew north through the night, where she knew Sid was resting.

Sid is deep in a peaceful slumber with a hopeful dream of something strange to come tomorrow. He was so tired and asleep that her owl had to crouch three hours to wake him up.

– Uuuu!… Uuuuu!… Uuuuu!…

– Who’s that? Sid woke up. He rose quickly, his hand on the hilt of his sword ready to draw, eyes wide open to see through the darkness.

– Don’t be so afraid. Ta! Witch Morgana.

Sid took a wary stance.

– What do you want from me?

Morgana is very malicious. She wants both things: first she wants Nott to kill Merlin, and second she wants to trick Sid away from this place so she can get the magical Four-Leaf Tree in case it grows somewhere in this forest. . So I came up with a new plan.

– Listen here! I know what you’re waiting for. The miracle Four-Leaf Tree will grow tomorrow. But Merlin tricked you. It’s not a four-leaf tree that brings endless luck, it’s a tree that brings… perpetual unhappiness. It was I who gave the curse: “Whoever plucks the four-leafed tree will die in three days.” But if no one pulls it up before dawn tomorrow, Merlin will die by then. That’s why he tricked you and Nott into making sure one of you died in his stead. Go back, Nott is gone too.

Sid stood silently thinking. Morgana was very malicious. She doesn’t give Sid any other choice. If he found the magical Four-Leaf Tree the next day, he wouldn’t know what to do with it either. If he spits it out, he will die. But maybe Merlin wasn’t lying? What if it really is a four-leaf plant that brings endless luck?

It seemed that the easiest way now was to follow Nott out of the forest to avoid facing an awkward situation. Sid thought for a moment, then he said:

– OK. If so, we’ll be on our way tomorrow.

The witch smiled happily.

– But we’ll go see Merlin. I’ll have him pull up the magical Four-Leaf Tree himself. Your curse says that whoever spits it up will die within three days, but if Merlin spits it out he won’t die.

Thus, the curse has been broken, because the person who will die if the four-leaf tree is not found and the person who pulls it out but does not die is the same person, that is Merlin. So Merlin will escape death and will give me the magical Four-Leaf Tree.

Morgana’s face paled. Sid is smarter than Morgana. I can’t stop laughing now. Realizing that Sid had not fallen into her trap, like a dog with a tailless tail, she turned around and jumped on the magic broom with the owl resting on her shoulder and disappeared into the night leaving a feeble threat. again.

– So you stay there and wait for death. It’s not as simple as you think.

Sid thinks about that threat and what just happened. He knew that Merlin never deceived anyone. How could Nott trust her? He doesn’t know that as a knight the most important thing is not to lose faith, not to be bothered and influenced by the words of those who are unlikely to have good intentions, even if they pretend to be good to me for some reason. As for me, let’s do it and believe in what I’m doing, even if no one is supporting me right now. Must believe in yourself.

Before he slept, he thought about the importance of not changing his goals for someone else’s. Luck will always come when we know how to keep faith in our goals, mission and purpose. Hope tomorrow will be better.

Finally, he remembered what his teacher used to say: Don’t trust anyone who wants to sell you luck and success.

********

Chapter 10: Anyone can get lucky

After you have created all the necessary conditions, be patient, do not rush to give up no matter what happens.

To achieve luck, you must have faith and perseverance.

The next morning, Sid woke up feeling restless. He seemed to have forgotten the presence of the dark witch last night. He sat down close to his land and watched and waited. Minute by minute – minute by minute – hour by hour slowly passed. But there is still no sign of sprouting, the birth of a four-leaf plant or a tree at all. The slow passage of time made Sid’s impatience grow like fire.

The sun had risen overhead and shone directly on the land. He strained to observe. Nothing. Late afternoon with fading sunlight. The day went by, but still nothing happened. A moment of thought. Never before had he not waited for the night to fall like this, and as he waited for it to last longer, Sid said to himself:

“Anyway, I’ve lived with beautiful dreams these past few days in this forest. I did my best for what I thought was right and necessary.” It is true that it is difficult to find the exact location where the magical Four-Leaf Tree will grow. And if in the end the four-leaf tree didn’t grow here, I wouldn’t regret it, because I did my best, did all I could. Suddenly, a cold wind came and made him shiver, and something he could not have imagined happened.

The God of Wind – the Lord of Fate and Luck – began to appear and began the hurricane dance that shook all the dense foliage in the forest.

Right after that, small seeds that sparkled like gold wrapped from the air began to fall everywhere with the wind.

They are the seeds of the miraculous Four-Leaf Tree, each seed that falls is a lucky four-leaf plant that is slowly germinating. They poured down, not just one seed, but countless, like a spring rain.

But what is really worth mentioning is that these seeds not only fell where Sid stood, but they scattered everywhere in the enchanted forest, flying into every cave and alley of this vast, vast forest. But not only that, it also poured down all over the kingdom, falling next to the knights who did not accept Merlin’s challenge.

They rained down on all the strange creatures of the Enchanted Forest, down on the Gnome, the Lake Lady, the Sequoia Queen, the Stone Mother Ston.

They covered the path Nott was riding towards the city and the witch’s place. sinister water Morgana. The lucky seeds of the magical Four-Leaf Tree have fallen everywhere.

But the inhabitants of the enchanted forest and in the kingdom did not pay much attention to this phenomenon. They know that once a year, during this season, these useless and obnoxious tree-seed rains fall on them. Little did they know that these were the lucky seeds of the magical Four-Leaf Tree, and on the contrary, they were extremely annoyed by them. “What a nasty, sticky dust!” – everyone grumbled.

Five minutes later, the “lucky” rain stopped. The seeds of the tree suddenly disappeared like snowflakes when they hit the ground. They quickly wither like seeds dropped in a parched desert. And millions of seeds that fell on the enchanted forest suffered the same fate.

All, all dying, except for a few hundred seeds that fell on several square feet of Sid’s lush, watery, rock-free, and well-lit soil. In an instant, those seeds sprout very quickly into miraculous Four-Leaf Trees. They bloom into hundreds of trees, enough to bring good luck all year round until another seed rain falls next year.

In other words, they bring endless luck. Sid stood motionless witnessing the impermanent scene, watching the luck he created for himself.

He knelt down to express his gratitude, tears of joy and uncontrollable happiness welled up.

When he noticed that the wind god had gradually quieted his howl, he quickly spoke up to express his sincere gratitude:

– O Wind God – Lord of Fate and Luck, where are you? I want to thank Him.

The leaves began to rustle, that’s when the wind god answered:

– You don’t have to thank me. On this day every year I distribute the seeds of the magical Four-Leaf Tree throughout the enchanted forest and in the kingdom of the knights as well. I am the Lord of Fate and Luck. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t give out luck randomly.

On the contrary, we always give equally to everyone. The miracle Four-Leaf Tree only sprouts on your land because you have created the most ideal conditions for it. Whoever does the same as you will get lucky. I’m just doing what I’ve always done. The problem is that most people think that luck will come their way without them having to do anything.

The Wind God continued:

“Actually, the place you’ve chosen has no special meaning here. What matters is what you did to PREPARE for it.”

Luck is a combination of chance and preparation. And opportunities are always available to everyone.

Your words inside your mind is so important in life.

Right. Luck came only to Sid because he was the only one in the forest who created the conditions for them to flourish.

Luck will wither when it comes to those who just wait and do nothing.

Luck can smile on all of us if we do “something”.

And the “something” is to create the necessary conditions to ensure that the opportunities – which everyone has – do not die away like seeds falling on arid ground.

SECRET 10: Anyone can get lucky

Understand that creating luck is about preparing the ideal conditions for opportunities when they come.

And chance has nothing to do with luck or chance: It happens to all of us.

********

Chapter 11: The source of luck

Nott rode like mad all Saturday night in the direction of the royal forest in time to uproot the magical Four-Leaf Tree before Merlin. Because he was so impatient, he no longer cared about the limited strength of the black horse. The poor horse’s hips were covered with streaks of blood from Nott’s merciless swings. When he reached the castle, it collapsed and fell dead.

Nott flew into the castle, wielding a ferocious sword, his face full of anger, his eyes burning with hatred. Nott is ready to take down any obstacle in his way.

– Merlin, Merlin! Where are you? Wherever you are hiding, I will find you! Why did you dare to deceive me?

Nott decided to go to the place where he was sure to find Merlin, which was the royal garden of the palace.

When he got there, Nott found Merlin standing tall in the garden, his eyes dignified looking straight at Nott. But the garden wasn’t what it used to be: it was paved with bricks. For the past seven days, the masons have been working hard to pave the garden.

– You want to kill me? Merlin asked boldly.

The sword in Nott’s hand suddenly sagged.

– Why did he do that? Why did you pave the brick floor?

Because if I don’t do that, people won’t believe me. That’s the only way to prove that Morgana lied to you. I-Merlin, know it all. I know that Morgana will sell you her luck and incite you to come here to kill me. Only in this way will you know that the magical Four-Leaf Tree does not grow here. Only then will you dispel your suspicions and jealousy.

Nott began to realize his huge mistake. He always wanted everything to be easy. He had always thought he deserved to be lucky. And he believed the malicious fabrication that Morgana passed to create hatred and suspicion. Right now, standing next to Merlin in the royal garden, he realized that he was wrong about Merlin.

Merlin went on to say:

– Now you know that the magical Four-Leaf Tree doesn’t grow here. A few hours ago it sprang up in the Enchanted Forest, just as I said. There are so many magical Four-Leaf Trees, there are parts for you, but you have given up: you have lost faith in the good, in yourself.

Not only that, your mistake is not to find solutions, but always to find excuses and reinforce your loss of faith. You always wait for others to bring you luck.

Bowing his head, silently not daring to look at Merlin, Nott shyly turned his head and quietly left. Desperate and no longer believing in themselves. Fail and the opportunity is so great, there will never be another occasion like this. He doesn’t want to do anything anymore. He lived depressed, lonely, tormented in his castle from here until the end of his life.

Sid rode back to the castle the next morning. The first thing he did was rush to tell Merlin that he had found the magical Four-Leaf Tree. He wanted to thank him very much.

– Merlin, Merlin, look at this! – He raised his hand with the green four-leaf plant – I have come to share your joy. I am very grateful to him.

– Don’t say that. I didn’t do anything for you. It was he who decided to go to the enchanted forest. You have accepted my challenge among hundreds of knights. It was he who decided to search for new land even after hearing people claim that there had never been a four-leaf tree growing in that forest.

He decided to help the Lady of the Lake and thus helped himself. He himself was determined to pursue his purpose and did not delay in pruning the branches of the trees in the forest.

It was none other than him who searched for seemingly unnecessary things even after everything seemed to be done. He has a firm belief in his goals, even when others try to find ways to sell his luck or slander him, preventing him from getting lost in his goal.

Merlin continued:

– And the most important thing is that he himself did not expect that he would accidentally find a four-leaf tree that would bring him endless luck. He intelligently and persistently created the necessary conditions to make it happen to him.

He concluded by stating:

– Now you can live a lifetime with that luck. Congratulation!

Sid was silent for a long time and suddenly looked Merlin in the eye. His resolute eyes seemed to shine brighter than ever.

– I thought a lot on the way here from the enchanted forest. The most important thing that I have gained is not owning this lucky tree, but the lesson I have learned in my journey to find the magical Four-Leaf Tree.

But if I knew that I would live the rest of my life with all the luck that comes from a four-leaf tree no matter what I do, my life would be pointless, and I would no longer be a knight.

Because if I know in advance that success and luck will always come to me, then I will not have the opportunity to affirm or challenge anymore. I’m not the kind of person who likes comfort.

Luck must be created by you. Know the secret of creating good luck, I will continue to conquer other challenges and create luck for myself and for everyone. The true knight does not count on luck, and does not think only of himself. And I believe that I will do.

As for the lucky four-leaf plants, I ask you to transfer them to the most unhappy and miserable people in this kingdom, who know how to selflessly for the happiness of others. They deserve it more than I do. And I know you’re going to turn to the right person.

Merlin was surprised at what he heard. He looked at the white knight with emotion for a long time. And he walked down to him.

Merlin was moved and he hugged Sid tightly, silent. Then he pulled out his precious sword and gave it to the knight.

– You are a True Knight that I wish to meet! Keep this sword – it will keep you strong and confident! And keep yourself a four-leaf plant. There will be times when you need to use it or give it to someone who needs it. Take care and good luck.

Saying goodbye to Merlin, he set out to continue searching for new adventures and challenges. Merlin stood and watched Sid until the sound of horses faded away.

Sid spent most of his life passing on to knights and commoners the secrets of good luck.

Now that he knew how to create luck, he didn’t keep it a secret to himself. Luck always needs to be shared.

SECRET 11: The source of luck

Since we can only create luck by creating conditions, luck is up to you.

Get started now, you can create your own luck too.

********

Chapter 11: It’s never too late

FIND LUCK AGAIN

BACK TO THE PRESENT.

After hearing the story, Jim was moved to take off his old shoes and let his bare feet comfortably rest on the grass covered with green four-leaf plants.

Both were silent, their thoughts still immersed in that strange myth. Nobody said a word. Time passed so slowly. They seem to be thinking about something. Suddenly a tear rolled down Jim’s austere face. When Max saw this, he quickly said:

– I’m sorry. I know what you’re thinking, I made you sad…

“Don’t say that,” Jim still mused.

– I guess you think this is just a silly story. I dont know. I don’t mean anything… I’m just trying to help you understand for good luck.

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking, my dear. I’m thinking about this story, why does fullness come to me? I met up with my childhood friend, whom I hadn’t seen for fifty years, and heard him tell this lucky story.

Max thought about what Jim had just said. How did the two meet each other after all these years? It was a random coincidence. But if so, then it’s not a real stroke of luck. And the story of luck happened to Jim. And this meeting was not in the spirit of the story. So sad!

Max admits:

– You’re right. This lucky story came to him by accident.

“I don’t think so,” said Jim slowly.

– On the contrary? – Max was surprised what Jim was implying.

– Right. I was the one who created the conditions for this story to come to me, so that luck could smile on me.

– You?

– That’s right, my childhood friend. We didn’t meet by chance. For the past four years, my life has been more miserable than ever, and my only hope is to find the only best friend I have: you.

There hasn’t been a day in the past few years that I haven’t tried to find you in the faces I see. Not a single person is missing, at every street corner, at every bar, at a traffic light, in every corner of this city.

You are the only best friend I have, that I will always remember. So many times I imagined the day I found you. I often dream of him, just as Sid dreams of his magical Four-Leaf Tree. Sometimes, I even feel the warm embrace we gave each other an hour ago.

I never stop thinking about this. I look for you with the belief that you will inspire energy and faith in me. And the lucky story just now is a priceless gift to me, it is more precious than all else. It’s the right time!

Jim added:

– I found you because I wanted to find you… The story you told came to me because I went looking for it, even though I didn’t realize I was doing so.

Deeply moved, Max asked:

– So you believed in your story and believed it to be true?

– Right. I didn’t think it was a pointless story. On the contrary, this meeting of ours proves to me that I can do the same as Sid. Today, I have made my own luck with this strange story. And I can also create other luck. I can do it. Please believe.

Max hugged the emotional Jim as an answer.

Jim’s voice became very strange:

– Seeing you again today and hearing that lucky story, I feel like I’m young again. I don’t think I’m sixty years old. I would dare to start from scratch.

Max heard that and looked at Jim with emotion. Needless to say, words are often unnecessary between soul mates and soul mates. Once again they hugged each other tightly.

Max is gone but Jim is still sitting there on a park bench with his bare feet on the smooth grass overgrown with green four-leaf trees, his heart peaceful and light.

Suddenly Jim felt a tickle in his foot. He leaned forward and pulled up a patch of grass on the ground. The leaves caressed his hand gently as if to invite his attention.

Those are four-leaf plants.

Jim smiled. At the age of sixty, after many bitter failures and despair, he still managed to smile an innocent smile. He still believes that he can still create his own luck.

So how long do you have to wait to start looking for your luck? Don’t delay anymore…

In life and work, it is not necessary that you have a horse and a sword, and you do not need to go into the deep and dangerous forest.

Dare to believe, dream and apply the above secrets wisely. Luck will come to you – for sure – and not just once.

SECTION 12: It’s never too late…

It’s never too late to create your own luck.

And you can find happiness from your own unhappiness.