The Greed

The Mysterious Hunters

High up in the hills, there lived a tribe of hunters. Their lives were rough and rustic, as they strived by hunting game. Two brothers, Maru and Gangu, stood as the leaders of the tribe. During the lean hunting season, these two would disappear into the hills for a few days. On their return, they brought money and food for the rest of the tribe, engendering curiosity given their mysterious trails. However, the tribe did not bother much because the two brothers looked after them well, particularly during their times of need.

A New Addition to the Tribe

One day, the two brothers came across a foundling in the forest. Seeing that it was alone and unclaimed, they brought it home, christened it Sona, and looked after it with tender care. As the boy grew into manhood, he was of immense help to the brothers, who had now aged considerably.

The Great Secret Revealed

Gangu passed away leaving Maru, the elder brother, on his own. Maru had aged significantly, rendering him incapable of making his usual periodic excursions into the hills. As resources dwindled and his crude house slowly fell to pieces, he needed to make one more trip into the hills. However, this was impossible without his brother’s help or that of someone else, and this is when Sona proved instrumental.

Maru revealed their secret to Sona, asking him to accompany him on a journey. They traveled for several days and nights crossing many rivers and mountains. At last, they came to a red-colored hill where Maru showed Sona a large cave at the base of the hill. Inside the dark cave, Maru executed an unusual ritual, revealing the source of the mysterious riches they have been bringing home to the tribe.

A Chance to Get More Wealth

Maru’s life was nearing its end, and he arranged for the marriage of Sona to a smart tribal girl named Mongu. She helped with cooking and maintaining their home. She discovered their secret trips and convinced Sona to get all the wealth at once. This eventually led to a disaster when Sona transformed into a snake and was unable to regain his human form. Despite eventually being saved by Maru, Sona and Mongu’s greed didn’t wane.

The Price of Greed

The next morning, they set out for the red hills, full of eagerness and anticipation. However, their experiment ended catastrophically when they could not transform back into their human forms. Maru, having learned of their treachery, decided to punish them by leaving them as snakes while he took all the gold and returned to the village.