The Old Man with The Farmer’s SonsBy : Ermalydia Abu Bakar

Once, there was a farmer. He had four sons. They were very poor. One day, the farmer said to his sons, “You must go out into the world. See if you can earn money. Come back when you are rich.” So, the four sons set out to earn some money.

They soon came to the edge of the forest. Then they saw a very old man. “Don’t worry, my children,” he said. “Let me help you.” He gave each of them a cotton wick. “Wherever the wick falls,” he said, “You must dig. You will find something. Take it and return home.” The four sons thanked the old man and walked on.

As they came to a river, the eldest brother dropped his wick. He stopped and began to dig. He found a jar full of copper coins. He was very happy and said to his three brothers, “Let us take this and go home.” But his three brothers did not want the copper coins. So he went home alone.

Then the second brother dropped his wick. After digging, he found a jar full of silver coins. He said to his two brothers, “Let us take this and go home.” But his two brothers did not want the silver coins. So he went home alone.

Soon, the third brother dropped his wick. After digging, he found a jar full of gold coins. “How wonderful!” he cried. “Now we will all be rich. Let us go home.” But the fourth brother said, “The first brother found copper coins, the second brother found silver coins and you found gold coins. May be, I will find jewels.” So the third brother went home alone.

As he continued to walk, he saw a young man. His body was covered with mud. On his head was a wheel. The fourth brother walked up to the young man and said, “Why are you sitting here? Why is there a wheel on your head?”

The moment he asked this question, he found himself sitting on the ground with mud on his body and the wheel on his head. The man who had been sitting there got up. “I, too, was greedy like you,” he said. “So, I was punished. Now you must sit here until another greedy person comes along and asks you why you are sitting here.”

Living value : be contented with what you have.