Once in a forest lived an old lion. There was no strength and agility left in his body. In such condition, it became difficult for him to hunt.
He wandered all day long looking for small creatures to hunt and his days were passing like this.
One day while wandering, he reached near a river and sat there relaxing. There he saw a shining object. When he went near and looked, he found that it was gold bracelet. As soon as he saw that gold jewellery, an idea came to his mind.
He sat there, holding on to that bracelet and to every passer by, he would say, “I have this gold bracelet. What will i do with this gold, i only have few days left to live. I want to earn some virtue by helping someone, by donating it. Come to me and take this bracelet.”
But no one came near him.
Lion began to think that his trick is not going to work. Only then he saw another passer by on other side of river.
Lion shouted loudly, showing gold bracelet, “I am donating this gold bracelet. Will you help me in attaining virtue by taking this?”
Traveler stopped after listening to lion. Luster of gold bracelet filled that man heart with greed but he was also afraid of lion.
He said, “You are a dangerous animal. How can i believe you? What if you kill and eat me?”
Lion replied, “I have hunted a lot in my youth but now i am getting old. I have given up on hunting. I have become a complete vegetarian. I just want to earn some virtue before i die. So, please help me earn that virtue. Come to me and take this bracelet.”
Traveler got into thinking and greed corrupted his intelligence. He jumped into river to reach the lion. He was about to reach the other side by swimming when he found his foot stuck in mud.
More he beat his hands and feet to get out of that swamp but he kept sinking more and more. He called out to lion. Lion was looking for this opportunity. He pulled that man out of swamp by holding him with his claws and ripped his cheat before that man could think.
Because of greed of gold bracelet, that passer by lost his life.
Learning:
Greed makes Man Blind and Foolish and makes him an Easy Prey to Death – Rumi
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