The Brass that Proved Gold

Khandu, the wealthy shopkeeper of Shivpur, sat on his veranda and watched the passers-by. Shivpur was a prosperous village that attracted many visitors of various backgrounds.

The Beggar’s Treasure

A nearly blind beggar approached Khandu and pleaded for alms. Suddenly, Khandu’s attention was drawn to the bowl the beggar held, which contained four blobs at its bottom that glimmered like gold.

Khandu offered the beggar a paisa and said endearingly, “Your bowl is very old. It may break at any time. If you leave it here, I can give you a new one.”

“Thank you, sir. But this is very precious to me,” replied the beggar.

A Greedy Scheme

Khandu had no doubt that the bowl was made of gold. His gaze soon fell on Bhikham, a notorious thief who was passing by. He called him over and whispered, “Bhikham! I want you to find out where this beggar lives.”

“May I know why?” queried Bhikham.

“Well, there is nothing for you to hide from. The bowl he carries seems to be made of gold—at least the blobs at its bottom. Even though he is almost blind, he knows its worth.”

Lowering his voice further, Khandu added, “I need your help in obtaining the bowl. But remember, I discovered it first, not you. You will only receive payment for your service.”

“Very well,” Bhikham agreed to assist Khandu in his wicked plan and followed the beggar.

Discovering the Beggar’s Home

“Brother, where do you live?” he asked once he caught up with the beggar.

“I have no house. I wander about during the day and rest in the shade of someone’s house. At night, I sleep under the banyan tree at the center of the cremation ground,” replied the beggar.

After a bit more idle chatter, Bhikham returned to Khandu and reported his findings.

The Plan in Action

It was late afternoon, and Khandu did not allow Bhikham to leave. He fed the thief a lavish meal, and when night fell, they set out in search of the beggar.

They easily located the beggar, who lay asleep under the banyan tree. Bhikham crept up to him stealthily and returned with the bowl.

“Let me see it,” Khandu said eagerly.

“Here it is,” replied Bhikham. Instead of handing the bowl over to Khandu, he brought it down hard on Khandu’s head.

What Bhikham wanted was to snatch Khandu’s purse containing the day’s sales from his shop, along with possessing the gold bowl. As Khandu swooned and collapsed, Bhikham successfully stole the purse, but the bowl broke into pieces and slipped from his hands. Hearing voices from a nearby corner, Bhikham fled without retrieving the broken bowl.

A Shocking Revelation

Khandu regained consciousness after about an hour. He cursed himself for trusting Bhikham and lamented the loss of his purse. However, he was relieved to find the gold bowl lying nearby in two pieces. He collected the fragments and hurried to the goldsmith’s house.

“What brings you here at this hour?” asked the surprised goldsmith.

The Goldsmith’s Offer

“Look at these pieces. How much could they fetch me?” asked Khandu as he placed the pieces on the counter.

To the goldsmith, the pieces appeared to be gold. He realized that Khandu would not visit him at this hour unless he had come across something valuable in a dubious way.

Feigning a careful examination, the goldsmith said, “This is alloyed gold, not pure. I can buy these for a hundred rupees.”

To Khandu, it was a fair offer, so he accepted and left hurriedly.

Deception Unveiled

After Khandu departed, the goldsmith began examining the pieces closely. He was disappointed to discover that the metal contained not a trace of gold; it was ordinary brass.

“I will see Khandu in the morning!” he muttered as he placed the pieces on a rack.

Meanwhile, two thieves who had followed Khandu observed part of the transaction through a window. Understanding that something valuable had changed hands, they noted where the goldsmith stored the pieces. One of them snuck in as soon as the goldsmith fell asleep and stole the pieces.

Confrontations and Consequences

The goldsmith confronted Khandu in the morning. “Return my hundred rupees, you rogue!” he shouted.

Khandu, not wanting anyone to know he had stolen from the beggar, replied apologetically, “Do not fret and shout, my brother. I will return the money as soon as you give me back my property!”

“I have thrown the rubbish you gave me into the drain!” said the goldsmith.

“In that case, brother, you may take it that I have also thrown away the rubbish you gave me into the drain!” Khandu replied calmly.

The goldsmith felt defeated and, furious and red-faced, left the scene.

The Thieves’ Downfall

The two thieves were headed in another direction when one of them accidentally dropped a piece of the bowl. The goldsmith recognized it immediately and raced after them, shouting, “Thieves! Thieves!”

The thieves attempted to escape, but nearby soldiers pursued and captured them. They were brought before the king.

The Court’s Decision

When questioned by the king, the thieves admitted to stealing the broken bowl from the goldsmith’s house. The goldsmith recounted how he had been deceived by Khandu, who was summoned to the court. Khandu confessed to stealing it from the beggar and explained how Bhikham had robbed him of his purse.

Though Bhikham was initially absconding, he was arrested shortly after. Upon being called to the court, the beggar was asked, “Why did you value this bowl so much?”

“My lord, a hermit kindly gave it to me and told me to preserve it, for although it was made of brass, it might one day prove as valuable as gold,” replied the beggar.

Justice Served

The king then asked the goldsmith, “How much would this bowl cost had it been made of gold?”

“Five thousand rupees, my lord,” responded the goldsmith.

“Good. Let Khandu pay four thousand and Bhikham one thousand. The five thousand should be kept in the royal treasury, and the beggar should receive a monthly allowance from it,” ordered the king.

“The hermit’s words proved true!” exclaimed the beggar joyfully.