Two Pilgrams

The Quarrelsome Neighbors

Govind and Ramdas were two neighbors who often quarreled. Yet, every time they fought, they repented and decided to live as friends. In truth, both were selfish and jealous of one another, though they remained oblivious to this fact while others could clearly see it.

The Pilgrimage Begins

One day, they set out on a pilgrimage. Govind’s wife prepared a packet of food that included breads and some ghee-baked sweetmeats, while Ramdas’s packet contained a different variety of sweets made from cheese, along with breads.

Thoughts of Hunger

As they walked on, midday approached. They should have stopped for lunch, but Govind thought, “Ramdas must be carrying nothing but dry breads. If I open my packet, courtesy will demand that I share my delicious sweets with him. It’s better to wait.”

Unbeknownst to Govind, Ramdas was having similar thoughts. He also did not want to share his cheese sweets with Govind. Both men felt the pangs of hunger and grew weak, yet neither mentioned the topic of eating.

A Night of Misfortune

As evening fell, they continued to bear the pains of hunger. By nightfall, they took shelter in a deserted temple, but still, no one brought up the matter of food.

Ramdas thought, “I will eat when Govind is asleep,” and Govind had the same plan. They eventually fell asleep, but dawn came with Govind being disturbed by red ants. He noticed numerous ants crawling out of his food packet.

The Realization

Upon opening the packet, Govind exclaimed, “My foolish wife packed not only bread and sweets for me but also some ants!”

Ramdas shouted, “My wife was no wiser!” as he too had opened his pouch. Eventually, they realized that no one had packed ants for them. The ants had been attracted to the sweets, and rats had carried away much of their food, including chunks of the cloth in which the items were tied.

A Lesson Learned

They concluded that they had set out at an inauspicious time. When they returned home, they chastised their wives for giving them sweets that attracted pests. “Very well,” said their wives, exchanging glances, “Next time we will give you only breads.”

A New Pilgrimage

On an auspicious day, the two neighbors embarked on another pilgrimage. At noon, they sat down for lunch, each with only plain dry bread.

Govind proposed, “You take my breads, and I’ll take yours,” as a gesture of friendship. Ramdas happily agreed to the idea. However, they soon found themselves on the brink of another quarrel. Ramdas discovered that Govind’s bread was prepared only with chili and no salt, while Govind found Ramdas’s bread too salty.

The Intervention

Fortunately, a gentleman from their village happened by. Knowing the nature of the two neighbors, he intervened. Upon hearing the cause of their quarrel, he said, “Your wives have deliberately done this. They want you to combine your breads. If you spread a salty bread over a saltless one and eat them together, the taste will be just fine. What your wives truly wish is for you to unite your minds if you want to be real friends. Last time, your selfishness spoiled your food and caused you to miss your pilgrimage.”

Embracing Friendship

The two neighbors appreciated this valuable lesson and understood that true friendship requires sharing and cooperation.