Ramu and the Goblin

The Prosperous Farmer

Once upon a time, there lived a farmer named Ramu. Although he was very prosperous, he was miserly. Rather than hire labourers to do his work, he insisted on doing everything himself. Every day, he would drive his cattle and sheep into the jungle to graze.

The Encounter

One day, as usual, Ramu took his animals to the forest. While resting under a tree, he heard the sound of deep snoring. Looking around, he couldn’t see anyone, until he glanced up at the tree and spotted a small man lying fast asleep in the fork of the branches.

The Goblin’s Capture

Ramu had read about goblins that roamed the forests. He knew that if he could capture one, it could be commanded to perform miracles. Silently, Ramu climbed the tree and caught hold of the small man.

The dwarf woke up and exclaimed, “Hey! What are you doing? Let me go.”

“No, not until you show me where a lot of gold is hidden,” Ramu replied promptly.

The goblin insisted, “Look here, fellow. I don’t know anything. Please let me go.”

“I won’t let you go until you tell me what I want to know.” With that, Ramu took him home and locked him in an iron chest.

The Treasures of the Forest

A month later, Ramu returned to the forest and discovered a beautifully carved wooden beam. Thinking he could sell it for a good price, he brought it home.

Raja, the local carpenter, bought the piece of wood for five rupees.

When Ramu opened his iron box to keep his money, the goblin laughed heartily. Furious, Ramu demanded to know where he could find gold, but the goblin remained silent. Again, Ramu locked the dwarf inside the box and went out.

Misfortune Strikes

Sometime later, a cousin visited Ramu’s home. Ramu invited him to stay for dinner, but knowing Ramu’s miserly nature, the cousin declined and prepared to leave. Ramu did not press him to stay and accompanied him to the bus stop. On the way, a bull gored the visitor, and he was taken to Ramu’s house for treatment.

When Ramu opened his iron box to take out some money for the treatment, the goblin laughed mockingly. Still, Ramu did not release the little man.

The Loss of Wealth

As the months went by, Ramu repeatedly had to dig into his secret hoard of wealth to meet expenses. One day, engrossed in taking out money, he failed to notice a thief watching him. When Ramu left, the thief dug up all his money and vanished.

In the evening, Ramu returned home to another round of mocking laughter from the goblin.

<p“What troubles you, little man?” Ramu demanded angrily. <p“You fool,” the goblin replied. “You lack sense entirely. That piece of wood you picked up in the forest was hollow and contained a fortune in jewels and money. You sold it to Raja for a paltry sum of five rupees. He discovered the hoard and has become a millionaire. I laughed to see you spend money on a relationship who wasn’t even invited to dinner. And finally, I laughed because someone has stolen all your wealth from its secret place.”

The Bitter Realization

Leaving the box open, Ramu ran to his hiding place, only to discover his staggering loss. When he returned home, he found the chest open, but the goblin had vanished. Poor Ramu was left to lament his misfortunes.

A face that cannot smile is never good. — Martial