Outwitting Fate – Part V

In the last part, the disciple advised sage’s son what to do……………

The coolie’s doubts broke down when she also supported the holy man. The next day he sold his buffalo and his sack of rice. What he bought with the money was enough to feed fifty Brahmins morning and evening as well as his family. So that day h fed people other than his own family for the first time in his life. When he went to bed that night after his unusual day, he couldn’t sleep. He got up in the middle of the night and found his father’s disciple sleeping on the flat ground outside his hut. The disciple was wakened by the coolie’s arrival and asked him what the matter was. The coolie said, ‘Sir, I”ve done as you”ve told me. In a few hours it”ll be dawn. What will I do to feed my wife and children? I”ve nothing to left, not a pice, not a handful of rice, and no buffalo to give us milk.”

The disciple showed him some money he had, enough to buy another buffalo and a sack of rice, asked him to go back to bed and sleep well till morning, and see what happened.

The coolie had bad dreams that night and woke up early. When he went out to wash his face at the well, he looked at the makeshift shed where he used to feed his buffalo some straw the first thing every morning. The thought occurred to him that he didn’t have a buffalo to feed this morning. But, to his astonishment, he found another buffalo standing there. He thought, ‘Fie on poverty! It makes you dream of buffaloes when you have none.” It was still dark. So he went in and brought out a lamp to see if the buffalo was real. It was a real beast! And beside it was a sack of rice! His heart leapt with joy and ran out to tell the holy man. But when he heard the news, he said with a disgusted air, ‘My dear man, why do you care so much? Why do you feel so overjoyed? Take the beast and the sack of rice at once, and sell them as you did yesterday. Give your family and the Brahmins another terrific meal”.

The coolie obeyed this time without any misgivings. Thus it went in the house of the sage’s son. Every morning he found a buffalo and a sack of rice, which he sold and fed his family and the Brahmins with the money. So one day the disciple said ‘When I heard that my great guru’s son was living a wretched life, I had to do something about it. I”ve done what I could. Continue to do what you”ve being doing. Reserve nothing for yourself. If you do, your happiness will end. If you hoard the money, this good fortune will desert you.”

Then the holy man said, ‘I”ve to go do something else now. Tell me where your sister is. She was two years old when I last saw her. Where is she now?” …………………………..

To be contd……