The Miser Mahajan
Ram moneylender was a miser. One day while returning home he was thinking that his son and wife spend a lot of money. If he stayed out of the house for a long time they will turn him into a poor man. They will stay at home the whole day and will eat something entire day. This happened even when they were they were under close supervision, he mused. Suddenly a beggar pleaded on the way, "Will the hungry get something my lord?".
"Go away from here. I don't have a penny on me" saying so he quickly proceeded towards the house. On the way the sweet shopkeeper was making sweet cake. Seeing them Ram could not control himself but he thought, if I purchase sweet cake then I will have to offer it to the people known to me. If I send the servant to bring it then I will have to share it with my wife and children. Why not send his servant for the sweet cakes and eat somewhere outside? On reaching home he called his servant and said, "Bholu, go and bring sweet cakes from the sweet shop".
When Ram was planning to eat sweet cakes, at the very moment a man resembling Ram went to the king. "What brings you here Ram", the king asked. "O king! I want to give some money in charity", said the man in a politely way, "What?" the king was amazed " You will give money in charity, what a miracle" said a minister smiling. Then that man went to the house of Ram and met his servant and ordered, "If the rogue coming this way beat him and make him flee". "As you wish master" the servant replied with bowed head. Then that man went to the inner room. The wife of Ram living in such a poor state, he thought . He said to her "Go to the market right now and buy whatever you like. Bring something for the children as well. Today I am very happy." On the way whoever you meet tell them that I am distributing half of my wealth among the poor", said the smiling Ram's duplicate. "Looks like he is out of his head. Before he changes his mind, I should go to the market." she thought. Thinking this Ram's wife went to the market. A little later, people began to arrive at Ram's house. "Take away whatever you want" said the look alike of Ram. "Whatever we desire...?" An old man asked with surprise. "Yes, whatever is here is all yours". This man can change his mind at any time so carry the goods as fast as we can". Almost all the people who had come thought. One man instead of entering the house took away the bullock cart from the godown.
He went away from the place in no time. He was singing praises of Ram on his way home. "May God add our life to Ram. There is no other man as generous as him". Real Ram was hiding behind the buses and enjoying hot sweet cake. He overheard, "May Ram live for hundred years". Ram was greatly surprised and appeared before the bullock cart. The man said, "You recognize a good man when you see one". But when he saw his bullock cart, he was mad with rage. "These goods are mine" he shouted, "Wait you thief, where are you running way with my goods?" The cart man whipped Ram. He fell down. "This all has been given to me by kind Ram" said cart man. "It is a lie. I am Ram". Ram replied. "You only look like him" saying so the cart man proceeded on his way. Ram chased him for a long distance but he could not catch him. Reaching home he saw people walking away with his belongings. He called out his servants and shouted, "Stop them! They are walking away with my goods". The servants mistook him for the crook, Ram had warned against. As advised they thrashed the real Ram. "I will teach you all a lesson. I will now go to the palace" said Ram. "My lord, I have been robbed. People have robbed my house", Ram shouted in front of king. The king said with steady gaze, "But Ram you yourself came here to seek my permission to give away your wealth in charity". "Your highness! have you ever seen me doing charity? Some robber who resembles me must have come here" said Ram crying.
The king ordered his men to bring the duplicate Ram to the court. After sometime the duplicate Ram was brought in the court. All the courtiers were surprised. Both looked carbon copies of each other. "Who is the real Ram?" the king asked. "My wife will recognize me your highness" Ram said. But when Ram's wife was asked to identify the real her husband, she denied. "Cheat I did so much for you and you... what shall I do now? who will now recognize me?". Then suddenly he remembered Kally the barber" your highness Kally the barber will definitely recognize me". On king's order the barber was called in the court. Kally knew about the hairs and scalps of Ram. "Your highness I will have to touch their scalps" said the barber bowing. The king gave him permission. The barber then touched the scalps of both at various places. Then pointing to real Ram he said, "He is the real Ram, your highness". The king trounced the fraud Ram and ordered his men to restore all the goods taken from his house. Ram took a deep breadth and thanked the barber for saving him from being robbed. But he understood that it is not good to be a miser. Wealth is best utilized when needy are helped. What is the use of wealth when nobody can use it?
Ram returned home happily. He was now now a changed man. He had become a kind and sincere man.
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