The king was to pass by a beggar’s hut and the man was beside himself
with excitement, not because he was about to see the king but because the king
was known to part with expensive jewels and huge sums of money when moved by
compassion.
He saw the king’s chariot just as a kindly man was filling his
begging bowl with uncooked rice. Pushing the man aside, he ran into the street,
shouting praises of the king and the royal family.
The chariot stopped and the
king beckoned to the beggar. “Who are you?” he asked. “One of the most
unfortunate of your subjects,” said the beggar.
“Poverty sits on my doorstep and
follows me about like a dog. I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon!” “Have
you nothing for your king except a tale of woe?” said the ruler, putting out his
hand. “Give me something.”
The beggar, astonished, carefully picked up 5 grains
of rice from his bowl and laid them on the king’s outstretched palm. The king
drove away.
The beggar’s disappointment was great. He raved and ranted and
cursed the king again and again for his miserliness. Finally, his anger spent,
he went on his rounds. When he returned home in the evening he found a bag of
rice on the floor. “Some generous soul has been here,” he thought and took out a
handful of rice from the bag.
To his astonishment there was a small piece of
gold in it. He realised then that the bag had been sent by the king. He emptied
the rice on the floor, feeling sure there would be more gold pieces in it, and
he was right. He found 5, one for each grain of rice he had given the king.
“It
is not the king who has been miserly,” thought the man, sadly. “If I had been
generous and given him the whole bowl of rice, I would have been a rich man
today.”
SO BE GENEROUS WHEN YOU GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEONE.
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