The Only Lesson

"Teacher, teach me just one thing."

"Now, that's quite a task."

"Why, it would not exert you much."

"Think so? That increases the ask!"

"Stop them riddles, teacher, for once."

"Straight to the truth, you want to go?"

"Just get me to the dough."

The teacher scratched his chin, and saw, the student did the same.

"Son, I know what to teach you."

"Good! My dad always judges right!"

"But the lesson you should learn correctly."

"Trust me, I have never known to fail."

"Fail once. That's the lesson."

"That I fail to understand."

"Good. You have started learning."

The student now was mighty dazed, and saw the teacher savour.

"Teacher, there you go again."

"Displaying my wisdom?"

"No. Enjoying in my lack."

"Son, now, learn the lesson. It starts the moment you ask."

"I give in. Pray tell me now."

"Fail once, that's the lesson. Failure, the teacher."

"But failing, what penance that needs?"

"Failing requires toil not, but ... failing just once?"

The student stopped. The teacher smiled.

"Fail, ye, and fail again.
Yet fail not in the path you walked.
Find in the world new paths to get lost!
Yet flounder not on the walked path.
Flounder never on the walked path."

The student now did not fail, to understand the teacher.

For good student he, he knew he failed the same way once before!