Once upon a time there lived a Brahman in town. He was very wise and learned. People respected him very much. But unluckily he was given to the bad habit of thieving. Though he fully realized that it was a very bad habit, yet he was not able to get rid of it. Seeing something precious with anybody, he could not help stealing it, though otherwise he was a man of very high ideals.
Once, four traders came to the Brahman’s town in the early morning and headed to the market, where each of them bought a precious jewel for himself. In the evening, they went to the Public inn to spent the night there and decided to leave the Brahman’s town the early next morning.
As for the Brahman, he somehow came to know of the jewels bought by the traders. So, he decided to rob the traders of their jewels and to execute his plan he visited the inn in the evening and engrossed himself in serving the traders. He arranged for their food and beds and thus pleased them. In fact, he wanted to steal their jewels when they had fallen asleep.
As for the traders, they sent the Brahman away on some pretext. Then closing the door of their room, each of them swallowed his jewel. They were sure that the jewels will come out with the stools after a day or two. This was, they thought, the safest way to carry the jewels home.
But the Brahman was more than a match for them. He had seen them swallowing their jewels through a hole in the wall of the room. So, he decided to accompany them on their return-journey home. He was sure that on the way he would find a chance to kill them all and get their jewels.
Next morning, the traders woke up early for their return-journey home. As they were about to leave the inn, the Brahman, with folded hands, stood in front of them and said, “I am a poor Brahman in a weak body. Take me too along with you. I shall serve you on the way. You may pay me whatever you like. The traders who were already been pleased with him, took piety on the brahman’s poor condition and agreed to comply with his request.
The Brahman was very happy indeed. He was sure that he would be successful in his plan and get the jewels for himself.
Now to reach the trader’s hometown, they need to go through a dense forest. This forest had settlements of jungle tribes at every step. These junglemen often robbed the travellers passing through their settlements in broad daylight.
At noon, the traders along with the brahman were passing by a settlement. From nowhere, 3 pet crows of the village chief hovered over their heads and started yelling, “Master! Master !! they have jewels with them-they have jewels with them. The crows were pets of the village chief. He fed them daily in return for their help to rob the travellers of their wealth. The village chief along with his men heard the noise and reached the spot. Hearing what the crows were saying, he asked his men to catch all the 5 travellers.
The order of the village chief was obeyed and before long, the traders, along with the Brahman, were produced before him. He ordered his men to search all of them from head to foot and rob them of their jewels. But nothing was found with them. The village chief was very stunned indeed. He knew that his crows never told lies and he wanted the jewels at any cost. He began to think hard. At last he hit upon the idea that the jewels must be inside the bodies of the travellers.
The chief said to his men, “My crows would never tell a lie. So, the jewels are certainly with them. If they have not been found during the search, they must be inside their bodies. So, kill them all and get all the jewels.” Hearing this, the traders got scared. But the Brahman thief who was otherwise a noble man, thought, “The jewels will certainly be found inside their body if any trader is murdered. Though I have no jewel in my body, but the chief would not spare me at all. So, my death is inevitable come what may. Why shouldn’t I then try to save them ? That way I shall repay their kindness.”
So, before the traders could say anything, the Brahman came forward and requested the chief, “Sir, they are all my younger brothers. So please summon your men to kill me first since I won’t bear the pain of seeing my brothers getting killed in front of my eyes”. The chief agreed to brahman’s request since it won’t make much of a difference to him.
So, he ordered his men to kill the Brahman first. They obeyed and killed him. But they could not find any jewel inside his body. The village chief repented of what he had done.
The Brahman’s murder completely changed the chief of the junglemen. He felt highly ashamed that he had taken the life of an innocent man for nothing. His conscience became pure and he had a change of heart .
The chief apologizes and release the four traders from his captivity. They resumed their journey to their home-town. Reaching there safe and sound, they thanked their stars. But they could never forget the selfless Brahman’s sacrifice who had laid down his life to save theirs.
Children! This story has a lesson for you. Whatever impressions a child imbibes in childhood grow up with them. That is why it has been said-“The child is the father of the man”.
