A Loan with a Difference

A Brahmin scholar from Vijayanagar one day approached a famous moneylender, requesting a loan of fifty rupees. The moneylender agreed to provide the funds under the condition that the scholar pay half a rupee as interest each month and pledge something of value against the loan.

“Here is a pearl necklace, which the king presented to me,” said the scholar as he handed it over to the moneylender. The moneylender issued a receipt and safely stored the necklace in his steel safe.

The scholar consistently paid the monthly interest of half a rupee without fail. As years passed, the moneylender eventually inquired, “You have already paid a significant amount in interest. Are you not yet in a position to repay the loan and retrieve the necklace?”

“To be frank, the necklace is valued at five thousand rupees,” the scholar replied. “I do not have a safe in my house to keep it secure. Therefore, I continue paying you half a rupee each month, ensuring the safety of my valuable property!”