The two friends
Once upon a time, there were two friends. Both were the sons of merchants and both decided to go out into the world to seek their fortune. During their travels, one of the friends, by chance, found a pot containing one thousand gold coins. Being an honest man, he was happy to share his new –found wealth. So he told his friends, `Let us divide the money before we go any further for half of this belongs to you. Please take your share.’
But is friend who was a dishonest man said, `This money should not break up our friendship. It is better that at this moment we take only one hundred gold coins each and bury the remainder here. Our honesty and virtue will be truly tested of this money says.’
The honest man agreed to his friend’s suggestion, for there were no evil thoughts in his heart. So they took a hundred gold coins each and after burying what was left, they decided to return to their respective homes.
Before long, the dishonest man had spent his share of the money. So he thought, `If I share the rest of money, I will get only a small sum. It is better if I steal the full eight hundred gold coins that are left.’
So he went out stealthily and removed the money from the hiding place. After that, he carefully covered up the hole where the hole where up the hole where the treasure had been kept.
He then returned home quietly. He waited for a full month to pass by before he approached his friend and said to him, `Let us now divide the remainder of the money equally.’ So the two went and began to dig. But they found no treasure. There was only the empty hole in ground.
Immediately the dishonest man accused his friend. `You have taken the money,’ he shouted loudly. `Give me my share or I shall take you o court.’
The friend replied. `How dare you accuse me? Every body knows that I am honest. Let us go to court.’
They approached the judges and related their tales. The judges after what happened, wanted o punish both the men. Then the dishonest man exclaimed, `Sirs, I am not guilty. I shall call upon the goddess of the woods and she will bear witness. She shall tell you all, which of us is guilty.’ The judges agreed to this and decided to meet the next morning at the woods.
The dishonest and went home and said to his father, `Father, I have taken hose gold coins. But if you help me a little on one will ever suspect me of theft. This very night, I will hide you in the hollow trunk of a tree that grows near the spot where we hid our health, in the morning, when I ask a question before the judges, you must answer from your hiding place within the tree.’
The father tried to warn him. `Oh my son,’ he said, `what is this that you are thinking of doing? No good can ever come from it.’
But the son refused to listen to his father’s warnings. At night, he took the old man to the woods and did him in the hollow of the tree. Next morning, he gathered with the judges and his friend in front of the tree. In a loud voice, he addressed the tree, `O ye goddess of the woods! Bear me witness and tell us, who has stolen the money’.
From within the tree, a voice was heard saying, `Not you, but the man whom the world thinks is honest and who is known as your friend, has stolen the wealth.
All those who were present and heard the tree speaking were greatly astonished. They were convinced now that it was indeed the honest friend who had stolen the money. So they debated amongst themselves as to what punishment should be given to the culprit. Meanwhile, the honest man collected dry leaves and sticks and heaped them around the tree that had spoken. He then set fire to it. As the fire spread through the leaves and sticks to the tree and the some rose to the skies, the poor father jumped out of the tree, coughing and burnt all over. The judges were surprised. `What is the meaning of this?’ they asked the old man.
The old man replied, `Sir, my son stole the money. It is all his doing.’
The dishonest man tried to run away but was soon caught and punished. He also had to pay a fine a thousand gold coins to the honest man.
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