Half the Profit
Once a rich man arranged a big feast. It was the occasion of his son’s marriage. The choicest dishes were prepared for the guests. But the fish could not be had. There had been no rain that year and there was very little water in the streams. So there was a great scarcity of fish.
The rich man on the other hand greatly demand fish. He sent an express word to bring fish for the occasion. At last a fisherman succeeded. He caught very fine fish. He came running to the venue of the wedding. He knew very well that he would get a fine reward besides the cost of the fish. But he was stopped by the gatekeeper and allowed in only after taking a promise that he would equally share the reward whatever he got from the rich man. The fisherman agreed and went in. The rich man was very happy to see the fish as it was also of a very good quality. After paying for them the rich man told him to ask for a reward whatever he demanded. The fisherman hesitated to take any reward but the rich man wanted to give him whatever reward he wanted. On this the fisherman demanded a hundred lashes to given to him on his back. The rich man was shocked and thought that the man was mad and asked his men to give him lashes but very slowly. When they reached the count of fifty the fisherman told them to stop as he said he had a partner to his reward. The fisherman wanted the gatekeeper to be called to share the reward.
The gatekeeper was called and was given fifty lashes very severely. He was also dismissed out of his service. The fisherman was rewarded handsomely and made a special counsel to the rich man.
Moral: Greed is a curse.
