Tea with the Zen master

It begins because Mutjo whisks quietly, and in the new world quiet competence is readily mistaken for enlightenment.

Pilgrims begin arriving. They ask him large questions. Mutjo, who mostly thinks about foam, answers with things like “warm the bowl first” and “don't rush the water”, and the pilgrims write these down with trembling gratitude.

The Matji do nothing whatever to discourage this. They line up beside him during the answers like six small green acolytes, deepening the effect considerably. It is excellent for business.

One evening a pilgrim asks the smallest Matji for wisdom, directly. It considers, gravely. Then it says the only word it knows. The pilgrim weeps. It really is excellent for business.