Once upon a time there was a young boy; a young boy with big, wondrous eyes. Through those eyes he saw miracles everywhere.  

The young boy was the embodiment of curiosity. He would listen to older, wiser people because he was curious to learn, to know, to search, to understand. He wanted to hold all knowledge in his grasp.

There came a time when he heard an old sage talk about Beauty. "Beauty is harmony, exuberance, admiration and satisfaction at the same time. Beauty and Happiness are twin sisters. Inseparable," he said.  

"Where can I find Beauty?" the child asked the sage.  

"Everybody has to find beauty for himself."  

The child asked other older people, where Beauty could be found, but nobody had the answer. Frustrated, he returned to the old sage.  

"I can't find Beauty anywhere!" he cried.  

"Well my child, Beauty is very elusive. That's why it is so valuable"  

"If I can't find Beauty, I can not find Happiness either."  

"First, find Beauty and Happiness comes with it."  

The sage, with his long beard and white hair, was supposedly the wisest man in the world. He was always serene, and kind, so the boy trusted him. Once again he set out to search for Beauty.  

He sampled all the fruits of the world, but even if they were tasty, he felt no satiation. He examined the flowers, but soon they withered away. He tried to catch the snow flakes, but they melted in his hand. The rainbow was beautiful, but unreachable. In frustration he returned to the old man and in a voice harsh with accusation he addressed him,  

"I can not find Beauty! Where is it?"  

"Where were you looking for it?"  

"In the fruits of the garden, in the flowers of the meadow, in the sparks of the snow flakes, in the colors of the rainbow... everywhere!"  

"Go back to the river. Sit down at the bank and wait for it. But I warn you, beauty is elusive."  

So the little boy went back to the river. Sitting there he listened to the hum of the bees, to the splash of the waves, to the songs of the birds, but beauty was nowhere to be found.  

Than suddenly a butterfly flew by. Its' wings glittered with color; its' flight was graceful and unpredictably delicate. It was a flying jewel!  

"That is Beauty! Now I've found it!" cried the boy and he began to chase the butterfly. Its' flight was evasive, almost teasing, but the boy's determination held firm. He had set his mind to catch Beauty at all cost. Finally, his hard work paid off and he managed to close his palm around that evasive Beauty. Thrilled with joy, he run to the old man shouting triumphantly,  

"I caught Beauty! Now I have it! I have it!"  

"Show it to me," said the wise man.  

The boy opened his hand and there in his palm was a crumpled carcass. The beautiful scales besmeared his palm and all the Beauty gone. The boy cried out in anguish, "Beauty cheated me! When I caught it, it was vibrant and alive!"  

The wise man listened, and then with a faint smile he replied, "No, my child. It is you who cheated Beauty. Beauty is free. So is Happiness. Neither of them can be possessed. You should admire Beauty and enjoy Happiness as it is given to you, freely. But never try to capture them, because you will destroy them! You just learned the most important wisdom in life."