The Lazy Man and the Stag
Once upon a time, there lived a very lazy man. He was far too idle to work and earn money to buy himself food. Thus, all he ate were the herbs and berries he could find in the forest where he resided.
The Lazy Man’s Life
As he roamed through the forest, he repeatedly lamented his lack of wealth. He believed it unfair that he wasn’t born rich. If he had been, he could enjoy all the gourmet food he desired, sleep in a fine feather bed, and wear the finest garments. Unfortunately, he was not affluent, always hungry, dressed in rags, and slept on the cold ground.
Encounter with the Old Man
One day, when sustenance was peculiarly scarce, the lazy man sunk under a tree, almost fainting from starvation. An old man happened upon him. In desperation, the lazy man begged the old man for food. The elder, however, proposed the lazy man build a trap to catch his meal. Out of hunger, although reluctantly, the lazy man constructed a trap with an old rope anticipating a forest creature might unwittingly walk into it.
The Surprise Catch
Having finished his task, the lazy man lay beneath the tree and drifted off to sleep. Upon waking, he found a beautiful young stag caught in his trap. The old man reappeared and advised him to thank God for the catch. The lazy man arrogantly claimed the credit for himself, stating he had constructed the trap.
The Lesson from the Stag
He advanced towards the stag to kill it, but the stag put up a fierce struggle, knocking him down with its antlers. Furious at this, the lazy man grabbed a dead branch to strike the stage. Just as he was doing this, the old man intervened. He pulled out a wand, tand apped the stag, which led the ropes to fall off. The stag rose, seemingly healed, and it ran off into the forest.
Realisation and Redemption
The lazy man was flabbergasted at the sight and began to comprehend that the old man was more than ordinary, he had been sent to impart a life lesson. He finally realised that success is only achieved through personal labour and divine guidance. Legend has it that the stag has had white spots on its back where it was struck by the lazy man, a mark of the lazy man’s folly.