The Two Brothers

Ravishankar was a rich merchant, owning a flourishing business empire, which dealt solely in the import and export of goods with Arabian countries. Ravishankar had started in business the hard way. With virtually no capital, he traveled through the Middle East, probing into the possibilities of selling spices and fabrics.

By hard work and living frugally, his export business began to show a profit. Today, he was one of the wealthiest merchants in India, yet he was worried. For he had two sons, Prem and Dilip, who were ready to come into the business, but Ravishankar wanted to be sure that his sons would be capable of standing on their feet.

One evening, Ravishankar called his two sons into his study and announced, “I want to see if you two have the makings of good businessmen. So I am going to give each of you a little capital, and working independently of each other, go and invest the money in trading goods, and at the end of three months, return and show me what you have accomplished.”

The two youths set out full of enthusiasm, and both decided to go to the busy seaport of Bombay, where they were sure there would be no difficulty in buying goods that would show a good profit.

As soon as they arrived in Bombay, Prem wasted no time and was soon scurrying from The warehouse to warehouse. In the end, he purchased bales of fine cambric, which he proposed to take to Arabia, where there was a ready market.

But Dilip didn’t get very far. The weather was so hot, and the streets, with all the hustle and bustle of endless traffic, were like ovens. So Dilip was quite happy to return to their lodgings and rest.

That evening, Prem couldn’t stop talking about the bargain he had made and the profit his goods would fetch. Dilip, from the comfort of his bed, just snorted, “Why the hurry? I am going to wait until more ships arrive; then I will buy.”

The following day, Prem went out to arrange shipping space for himself and his goods. When he returned, he said to Dilip, “There’s no dhow going to Arabia until next week. So I am going to slip home and get several things I shall need for the voyage. But please keep an eye on my goods till I return.”

“Of course I will,” replied Dilip, making himself more comfortable on his bed.

Two days passed, and Dilip was quite content to sit in the shade on the quay, idly dreaming of the wonderful goods he would buy one day. He was suddenly startled by a figure standing over him, and when he looked up, he saw it was an elderly bearded sadhu.

“My son,” said the sadhu, “Why do you sit and worry about the goods you have to buy?”

“How do you know my business?” replied Dilip, looking very perplexed.

“I know everything,” said the sadhu. “My son, your fortune is in the stars. Tomorrow, buy any goods, then throw them in the sea. Within seven days, the sea will cast a fortune at your feet.” With these prophetic words, the sadhu ambled on his way.

Dilip didn’t know what to think. Perhaps this sadhu was Mad. Then he recalled stories he had heard of the occult powers these sadhus possessed. Perhaps he should follow the sadhu’s advice.

The next morning, Dilip bought a lot of goods without troubling to examine them, and had them delivered to the quay side. Waiting until it was dark, Dilip threw the lot into the sea and thought, “In seven days, I shall be rich.”

When Prem returned, Dilip never uttered a word about the sadhu and was glad when Prem embarked on the dhow for Arabia.

The seven days passed all too slowly. On the seventh evening, Dilip walked up and down the seashore, but apart from odd bits of rubbish, there was nothing of value washed up by the sea. Night after night, Dilip walked along that seashore, his hopes of riches slowly dwindling. Then, when he had given up all hope, he discovered a small casket floating in the shallow water.

Quickly retrieving the casket, Dilip managed to force open the lid with the aid of a sharp stone. When he looked inside the casket, he uttered a shout Of joy, for there in front of his eyes, were costly jewels. Now, he was certainly rich and could return home and surprise his father.

Meanwhile, Prem on board the dhow, wondered when this creaky ship would ever reach Arabia. Then one night, a sudden squall struck the ship, and the sails were ripped to shreds. Completely at the mercy of the storm, the ship was driven onto a reef close to the shore. Pounded by the huge waves, the ship began to break up, and Prem, together with the others on board, jumped into the angry sea, praying that somehow they would reach the shore.

Back home, Dilip never ceased to tell everyone of his good fortune, but his father began to worry over Prem’s absence. For now, more than four months had lapsed, and there had been no word from Prem.

Then late one night, a bedraggled figure stumbled into the house. It was Prem. In sorrowful words, he told how he had lost everything in the shipwreck, but worst of all, he had been guilty of cheating his own brother.

“Cheating me?” said Dilip, looking astonished. “How could you have cheated me?”

“The sadhu,” said Prem dolefully. “There was no sadhu. It was me in disguise. I wanted to show that I was cleverer in business than you.”

Ravishankar put his arms around his two sons’ shoulders. “Listen, my sons,” he said smilingly. “I think you have both learned a good lesson in life, and you will both be better for the experience.”