Wealth from Wasteland
Gopal Krishna was poor, but he was willing to work hard. On the border of his village, there were several acres of land that lay waste; they belonged to the zamindar.
“Sir, give me five acres of the wasteland. I will pay you the price in a few years,” Gopal Krishna proposed to the zamindar. However, the zamindar did not agree to the proposal; he demanded five hundred rupees immediately.
A month passed. One day, Gopal Krishna confided to the zamindar, “I dreamed that there is a hidden treasure in the wasteland. If you let me dig it out, I can pay the price of the land from the treasure.”
Delighted by the idea, the zamindar agreed. Gopal Krishna dug in the wasteland and discovered a pot. Inscribed on it were the words: “Open it five years after this day. If you open it earlier, the diamonds will turn into glass.”
The zamindar gave Gopal Krishna five acres of land, believing that the young man would bring him great fortune. For four years, Gopal Krishna toiled on the land, nurturing it and investing his efforts into making it fertile. However, the true test lay in the pot.
At the end of four years, Gopal Krishna finally broke the pot, but instead of treasure, glass came out. The zamindar broke into tears, realizing he had been tricked. However, Gopal Krishna honored his promise and gave the zamindar five hundred rupees, the agreed price for the land.
In those four years, Gopal Krishna had managed to cultivate the land well enough to raise the money to pay for it. His hard work turned a wasteland into wealth, proving that dedication and ambition can transform even the direst of situations.