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

established it long ago, and have long been standing on "firm feet" and, it maybe, on very good feet I am certain moreover that their strength will suffice formany more years, to the dismay of all my past, present, and future enemies.Yes. . . I think I might as well tell you about an idea that has only justarisen in my madcap brain, which is specially to request the printer to whom Ishall entrust my first book to print this initial chapter of my writings in such away that anybody can read it without cutting the pages of the book itself,whereupon, on learning that it is not written in the usual manner, that is, tohelp produce in the mind of the reader, very smoothly and easily, excitingimages and lulling reveries, he may if he wishes, without wasting words withthe bookseller, return it and get his money back, money perhaps earned by thesweat of his brow.And I shall do this without fail because I have just remembered the story ofwhat happened to a certain Trans-caucasian Kurd, a story I heard in my earlyyouth and which in later years, whenever I recalled it in similar cases, arousedin me an enduring and inextinguishable impulse of tenderness I think it willbe very useful for me, as well as for you, if I relate this story in some detail.It will be useful chiefly because I have already decided to make the "salt"or, as contemporary "pure-blooded" Jewish businessmen would say, the"tzimmes" of this story one of the basic principles of that new literary form Iintend to use for attaining the aim I am now pursuing in this new professionof mine.This Transcaucasian Kurd once set out from his village on some businessor other to town, and there in the market he saw in a fruit stall a handsomelyarranged display of all kinds of fruit.In this display he noticed one particular fruit, very beautiful in both colorand form, and its appearance so took his