Fortune from a Dead Rat

The Beginning of Fortune

This story takes place long ago in the beautiful city of Varanasi, which was then ruled by King Brahmadutta. During this time, the Buddha was born as a citizen of Varanasi and was known for his wisdom and noble nature. He was chosen as the leader of the citizens, serving as their representative in the king’s court and was popularly referred to as Shresthi—the Chief.

From a Dead Rat

One day, while passing through a locality, Shresthi’s companion stopped to look at something on the road.
“What is it?” asked the Chief.
“It is a useless thing. A dead rat!” replied the companion.

“Nothing is useless in a certain sense. A clever and lucky fellow can make a fortune even out of this dead rat,” Shresthi said.

Just then, a young man from a noble family who had fallen into poverty happened to walk by. He overheard Shresthi’s words and had great faith in his wisdom. Picking up the dead rat by the tail, he continued on his way to the next town in search of a means of livelihood.

A Series of Opportunities

On the long, lonely road, he encountered a traveler seated under a tree. The traveler had his pet cat with him and, upon seeing the dead rat the youth carried, said, “Young man, I would be grateful if you could spare that rat for my hungry cat.” The youth generously gave away the rat and, in return, received a paisa.

With the paisa, the youth bought an earthen jar and filled it with cool water. He sat beside a road leading to the flower market, where a group of malis, or flower sellers, passed by. They were thirsty and drank the water he offered with great relish, each one presenting him with a few flowers. The youth prepared half a dozen bouquets and carried them to another market in town, selling them for a good price.

Transforming Fortune

With the little money he earned, the youth bought some jaggery. That night, a strong cyclone damaged many trees in the royal garden, leaving broken branches scattered everywhere. The gardener was at a loss for how to clear the mess.

The youth approached him, offering to clear the garden if he could take away the branches. The gardener gladly agreed. The youth gathered a number of small boys playing in the streets, promising them lumps of jaggery if they helped him carry the branches away. The boys happily complied.

The youth bundled the wood from the branches and waited until a potter passed by. “Will you give me those bundles in exchange for a dozen pots?” he asked. When the potter agreed, the youth was pleased. He sold the pots in the market for a fair price.

A New Venture

Next, he raised a shed in a meadow and carried pots of water to it. The meadow was where grass grew quickly, and many people were cutting grass there. They were grateful for the water, as it allowed them to work longer, and they frequently asked how they could repay him.

“I will ask for your help when the need arises,” the youth replied.

One day, he heard that horse traders were visiting the city with five hundred horses. He asked the grass-cutters to leave some of the grass they cut for him, and they willingly obliged. He carried the grass to the outskirts of town and heaped it along the road where the horse traders were expected to arrive.

When the traders saw the fresh grass, they were delighted and wished to feed their horses well to prepare them for sale. The youth sold the grass at a high price, and soon after, he possessed over a hundred silver coins. With half of his earnings, he bought a tent and a set of expensive clothes for himself.

The Merchant’s Journey

A ship loaded with merchandise was approaching the port. The youth set up his tent there and met the ship’s captain as soon as the ship anchored.
“I wish to buy all your goods,” he told the captain.

Seeing the youth’s attire, the captain suspected he was an experienced merchant and gladly accepted the offer, as it would save him the trouble of selling his goods separately. The captain promised to unload the ship at a certain price. The youth handed over fifty silver coins as a token of advance and said his manager was on the way with the rest of the amount.

The next day, other merchants came to see the captain and learned that the entire merchandise had already been booked by the youth. They approached him, and he sold them parts of the goods at a considerable profit, paying the captain the agreed amount within three days.

A Reward for Cleverness

This transaction brought him great profits, and he believed his luck stemmed from Shresthi’s remarks about the dead rat. He took half of his profit to Shresthi, who was amazed at the youth’s enterprise and luck. Recognizing the youth’s qualities, Shresthi decided to marry his daughter to him.

After Shresthi’s death, the youth inherited his property and position, becoming a prominent figure in the community.

—From the Buddha Jataka