The Crafty Miser
The Miser’s Desire
Suresh had enough money, but he was such a miser that finding his equal was difficult. He remained a bachelor solely because he did not want to spend even a paisa on raising a family. Yet, despite his contentment, he dreamt of acquiring more wealth—money that would come easily. Soon, he devised a wretched plan.
A Shady Scheme
Suresh took a young beggar into his confidence and explained what he required him to do. The beggar agreed to cooperate in exchange for a handsome reward. That night, as the entire village was asleep, Suresh shouted, “Thief! A thief is escaping! Ho, ho! Catch the thief!”
The Deception Unfolds
Within moments, several neighbors gathered. Suresh opened his rear door, pointing to a shadowy figure vanishing into the fields. They chased after him but could not catch him. Following Suresh’s instructions, the beggar entered the homes of two neighbors, who had left their doors unlocked in their rush to help. He ransacked their houses and returned to Suresh with the stolen goods once the neighbors had left.
Promises and Betrayal
“I hope nobody saw you bringing these things here!” Suresh inquired. “How could anybody have seen me? I came in just as they were leaving,” the beggar replied gleefully. Suresh congratulated him, saying, “Well done, boy! Now you may go and relax.”
“Thank you. But what about my reward?” asked the beggar. “Your reward is safe with me,” Suresh assured. “If I give it to you in kind, you will find it hard to carry. Wait for two days; I will sell these items in town and give you your share in cash.” The beggar agreed and decided to stay on Suresh’s veranda until then.
A Second Cry for Help
At midnight, Suresh shouted again, “Thief! The thief escapes!” Neighbors rushed to his house once more. Clinging to one of them, Suresh pretended to be terrified, exclaiming, “Thief! A thief!”
The neighbors assumed that Suresh was having another nightmare due to the previous night’s events. One neighbor reassured him, saying, “Do not worry, Suresh; my house was plundered too last night. We villagers must take turns guarding the village.”
The Thief Turned Victim
The next day, Suresh went to town to sell the stolen goods. Upon his return that evening, the beggar promptly asked for his reward. “How can I give you any reward, my boy? Didn’t you hear me shouting last night? A thief entered my house and took everything you had given me!” Suresh replied.
Realizing he had been outsmarted, the beggar remained quiet but secretly observed Suresh from a bush as he hid away his money.
The Tables Turned
The beggar contacted two highly skilled thieves, informing them of Suresh’s trickery and the location of his money. That night, the thieves targeted Suresh’s house, relieving him of all his cash. As Suresh shouted, “Thieves! Thieves!” the villagers heard him, but they assumed he was merely experiencing another nightmare. No one responded to his cries.
The beggar gained his share of the loot, receiving much more than he initially expected from Suresh!
Final Note
This story serves as a reminder to our readers that entries submitted for either the Photo-Caption Contest or the Story-Title Contest must be sent on a postcard. Submissions via any other means such as envelopes or inland letter cards will not be accepted. Additionally, entries for the two contests must be sent separately and not on the same postcard. The judges may consider violations of these rules as grounds for disqualification.