The Insoluble Problem

While storing a day’s profit in his chest, a shopkeeper remembered the village deity and said, “O Lord, please ensure that the money in the chest remains intact. If you do so, I will offer you a coconut.”

Years passed, and the deity received no coconut from the shopkeeper. One night, he appeared in the shopkeeper’s dream and asked, “I have ensured that your money remains intact, haven’t I? Where is my coconut?”

The shopkeeper responded, “The problem is that I must take money out of the chest if I want to buy a coconut for you. If I do that, can it still be said that the money remained intact?”

The deity sighed and then disappeared, leaving the shopkeeper to ponder the complexities of promises and the nature of integrity.