A few towns over and halfway up a mountain, there lived a hermit that made an elixir of success. Anyone who tasted it would become successful overnight. A young man heard of the drink and set out to find this hermit.

The trek was not easy and took the man four days to reach the foot of the mountain. On the fifth day, he found the hermit in his cave and walked inside. 

The hermit was sitting by a small fire and was not surprised to see a man standing in the mouth of the cave. The man explained he was there for the elixir of success, while the hermit stroked his beard and listened. 

When the man finished, the hermit said he could make the elixir, but would require a large silver pot to make it in. There was a pot maker one town to the west that would have the right one. 

So, the man descended the mountain and made the journey to the western town to find a pot for the hermit. The pot maker was easy to locate and had the exact pot the hermit described. 

The man not having enough money asked if he could work for the pot maker to pay for the pot. The pot maker agreed, and six months later the man had a silver pot of his own. The next day, he picked up the heavy pot and started the two-day journey back to the hermits cave. 

Upon arriving, the hermit seemed surprised to see the man and the pot, but without much fanfare praised the man and set the pot by the fire. 

The man impatiently asked when the elixir would be done, but the hermit said he would need a golden ladle to scoop it out. He knew of a goldsmith two towns to the east that made such things. The man was a little perturbed but slept for the night and headed east the next morning. 

When the man arrived at the goldsmiths shop, he explained the ladle he required and the goldsmith told him what it would cost. The man with his experience working alongside the pot maker became an apprentice to the goldsmith and two years later had enough money and skill to craft the golden ladle. 

At once, he set out to the hermits cave. When he arrived, the hermit set the golden ladle in the silver pot and told the man he would need one more thing, a cup encrusted with gems of all types. This was the only way to drink the elixir of success.

The man was disappointed, but the hermit knew of a jeweler to the south that could make such an extravagant cup, and the next day the man set out to find him. 

It took a week to travel to the jewelers town, but he finally made it and after describing the lavish cup the jeweler told him what it would cost. Having no money left after making the golden ladle, the man offered his services and being adept at working with silver and gold, the jeweler hired the man. 

A decade later, the man had enough skill with gems and enough money saved away to make the jeweled cup. He bid the jeweler farewell and set out for the hermits cave. 

When he arrived, the cave was empty except for the silver pot, golden ladle, and a note from the old hermit. It read: “There is no elixir to make one rich overnight but you, after all these years, you are now skilled at working with precious metals and stones. Take your silver pot, golden ladle, gem encrusted goblet, and the knowledge you now possess and go be successful.”