A Choice

A sudden flood threatened to inundate the village. The villagers decided to escape to a safer place and boarded the only boat they had.

The last to reach the bank were Seth, the richest and most stingy fellow in the village, and Raghu, a beggar.

“I can take only one more,” said the boatman. The villagers voted for the beggar.

“What, you prefer a beggar to me! Are you in your senses?” cried out Seth.

“Look here, Seth, we do not encourage begging. But we must choose between you two. First, your heavy wealth might sink our boat. Even if it does not, it is of no use to us, for you are not likely to use it for anybody’s good. While the beggar will remind us of misery, you will remind us of meanness. Both are bad, but the first is less bad. Secondly, the beggar will at least give us a chance to be charitable,” explained one of the villagers.