Greed Loses All
A Farmer’s Struggle
Long ago, there lived a farmer named Madho. Though he had several cows to graze, feed, and milk, he appointed no assistant and managed everything on his own. Naturally, he found it difficult to cope and decided to sell his cows at the fair. At least that way, he would get some money to help him start a new business.
An Unexpected Encounter
So, he went to the fair, driving his cows before him. As he passed through a forest, some bandits attacked him and ran off with his cows, securely binding him to a tree.
A Spirit’s Help
Poor Madho began to weep at his misfortune. A forest spirit dwelling in the tree took pity on him and said, “Madho, don’t weep; I will give you fifty cows to replace the ones you have lost.”
A Favorable Deal
In the next moment, fifty cows stood before Madho. Overwhelmed, he said, “O beneficent spirit, I don’t know whether I can drive them safely to the cattle fair. Instead of the cows, if you give me their price, I will be very happy.”
The Spirit’s Generosity
The spirit smiled and asked, “All right, what is their price?” Madho replied, “At the rate of one hundred rupees per cow, it would come to five thousand rupees.”
The Weight of Greed
The spirit kissed a ring on its finger, and behold, a big bag of jingling coins fell before him. When Madho tried to lift it, he found it very heavy. So he turned to the spirit and said, “I will find it difficult to carry all this money. If you give me another cow, my task would be easier.” The spirit waved its hand, and a cow appeared before Madho.
A Change of Heart
As he was lifting the bag onto the back of the cow, a thought struck him. He asked the spirit, “O Spirit, what will you do with all these cows? Give them to me, and I’ll take them home.” The spirit agreed, and Madho assembled all the cows. Then another thought occurred to him, and he said, “O good Spirit, I want neither the cows nor the money. Just give me the ring with which you materialized all these things, and I’ll never ask you for another thing.”
Consequences of Greed
The spirit laughed and remarked, “Madho, don’t ask for that. Surely, you’ll be disappointed. Be satisfied with what you have.” However, Madho refused to listen and began to plead.
A Lost Opportunity
The spirit would not give him the ring despite his entreaties. At last, in desperation, Madho tried to snatch the ring away, and the next instant, the spirit vanished along with all the cows and money.
A Lesson Learned
Madho was left to stand disconsolately under the tree. Greed had so dulled his senses that he had ignored the spirit’s warning. In his desire for more, he ultimately lost everything in the end.