The Miser and His Gold
Once upon a time, in a small village by the river, there lived an old man named Gopal. He was known to be the wealthiest man in the village, but he was also known for something else—his extreme miserliness. Gopal never spent a single coin on himself or others. He wore the same tattered clothes for years, ate simple meals of dry bread and water, and never shared his wealth with the poor or even his relatives.
Gopal had worked hard in his youth and had earned a great fortune. But instead of using it to make his life comfortable, he stored all his gold in a large iron pot and buried it under a tree in his backyard. Every night, when the village was asleep, he would quietly dig up the pot, count his gold coins, admire them under the moonlight, and then bury them again. This became his nightly ritual, and he found great joy in just knowing that his gold was safe.
However, the villagers often whispered about Gopal’s strange behavior. Some pitied him for living such a miserable life despite his riches, while others mocked him for his foolishness. But Gopal didn’t care about their opinions. To him, gold was everything.
One evening, a thief passing through the village noticed Gopal’s peculiar habit. Hidden behind a bush, the thief watched as the old man dug up the pot, counted the gold, and buried it back. The thief smirked, for he now knew exactly where the treasure was hidden.
That very night, after Gopal had gone to sleep, the thief sneaked into the backyard. With careful hands, he dug up the pot of gold, lifted it onto his shoulder, and disappeared into the darkness. By the time the sun rose, he was far away, never to return.
The next night, as usual, Gopal went to his backyard, humming to himself. He dug the earth and reached for his pot, but to his horror, it was gone. His heart pounded, and his hands trembled. He frantically searched the area, digging deeper and deeper, but his treasure had vanished.
Gopal let out a wail so loud that the villagers rushed to see what had happened. “My gold! My precious gold! It’s gone!” he cried, falling to the ground. The villagers tried to console him, but he would not listen. Tears streamed down his wrinkled face as he kept repeating, “What will I do now? My life is ruined!”
A wise old villager named Hari stepped forward and asked, “Tell me, Gopal, what did you do with your gold? Did you use it to buy food, build a better home, or help someone in need?”
Gopal shook his head. “No, I never spent a single coin. I only looked at it every night.”
Hari sighed and picked up a large stone. He walked to the hole where the gold had been buried and dropped the stone inside. “There, Gopal,” he said, “this stone will serve the same purpose as your gold did. You never used the gold, and you won’t use this stone either. But at least now, you won’t have to worry about losing it.”
The crowd chuckled, and realization dawned upon Gopal. He had hoarded his treasure all his life, yet it had never truly brought him happiness. He had spent years guarding something he never used while missing out on the joys of life.
From that day on, Gopal changed his ways. He started using his remaining wealth wisely—helping the poor, improving his home, and living a comfortable life. Though he had lost his gold, he had gained something far more valuable—a generous heart and a peaceful mind.
Moral of the Story: Wealth is of no use unless it is used for good. Hoarding riches without purpose brings neither happiness nor security.
Glossary:
- Miserliness – The quality of being unwilling to spend money, even when one has plenty.
- Tattered – Old and torn; in bad condition.
- Fortune – A large amount of money or wealth.
- Peculiar – Strange or unusual.
- Vanished – Disappeared suddenly and completely.
- Frantically – In a hurried, anxious, or panic-stricken manner.
- Console – To comfort someone in distress.
- Wrinkled – Having many lines or folds, often due to age.
- Dawned upon – Became clear or understood.
- Generous – Willing to give or share freely.
