Beelzebubs-Tales-to-His-Grandson-by-G-I-Gurdjieff

"And it was in Samlios that I learned all the details of the affair."It seems that before this incident our unfortunate countryman, being onfriendly terms with the king, was often at his palace."And one day, while visiting the king, in the course of conversation ouryoung countryman made a 'wager' that was the starting point of all thatfollowed."You must remember that the community over which King Appolisreigned, and the city of Samlios where he existed, were at that period thegreatest and richest on the Earth."For the upkeep of all this wealth and grandeur, King Appolis naturallyneeded a great deal of what is called 'money,' and for this exacted a great dealof labor from the ordinary beings of that community."Here I must remark that at the time of my first descent in person to thisplanet, the organ kundabuffer no longer existed in the three-brained beingswho interest you. But in some of them various consequences of the propertiesof that organ, so maleficent for them, had already begun to be crystallized."In the period to which my tale refers, there had been thoroughlycrystallized in a number of beings on that planet the consequence of oneproperty which, while the organ kundabuffer itself was still functioning inthem, had enabled them, without 'remorse of conscience,' to neglect all theirobligations, whether taken upon themselves voluntarily or imposed by asuperior. Whenever they did carry out an obligation, it was done only fromapprehension and fear of threats from outside."And it was just this consequence, already crystallized in certain beings ofthat period, that was the cause of this whole affair.