The Greedy Fox

In olden days there was a village called Kalyanakatakam. In that village a hunter lived. His name was Bhairavudu. One day he went into the forest with a bow, arrows and a net. He dug a pit nearby and sat huddled in it. He kept a little meat for animals that pass that way as a bait. A well-grown deer came that way and was tempted by the meat. Bhairavudu killed the deer and started home carrying it. On the way he saw a huge, wild pig. ‘What a lucky day today!’ he thought, lowered the deer to the ground, aimed his arrow at the pig. The arrow hit the pig but it did not die. The pig sprang on the hunter in great anger and killed him. But after a while the pig bled to death. When the hunter and the pig were struggling, a snake got caught between their legs and died. 

After this incident, a fox by name Deergharavam came there. He saw the deer, the man, the pig and the snake lying dead. His mouth watered. ‘I will not be in need of meat for some months,’ he thought with great happiness and was overjoyed.

‘The man’s meat lasts for a month. I can spend happily another two months with the meat of the deer and the pig. The snake’s flesh will feed me for one day,’ the fox calculated. 

‘I’ll eat all this slowly and happily. The rope tied to the bow is also made of the nerves of an animal. Let me test it by biting it,’ he thought and bit the bow string. The string snapped with great force and hit the fox. At its hard impact the fox died on the spot.

“Did you listen to the story? The fox brought about his death because of greed,” said Mandharudu. “That is why I said money saved without spending it and without giving it to others is of no use. Nothing follows you after you die!”

“By the by, what is the use of recollecting what happened in the past? Intelligent people don’t wait for something that does not turn up. They don’t cry over what has been lost. If they face difficulties, they won’t be worried. So, Hiranyaka, be always enthusiastic. The man who is full of spirit and is jolly is the real pundit and scholar. The scholar who is always moody and dejected is a fool even if he knows many shastras.

By just knowing the names of all medicines, you are not cured of your sickness. There will be use only when you swallow the medicines. Just as a bright lamp is of no use to the blind man, so too the knowledge of many shastras will be of no use to a person who has no discretion. 

“Take a look at me. I don’t feel sad if I face dangers. I won’t feel overjoyed if I get a lot of wealth. We face difficulties now and then, happiness now and then. This is natural. Earning and spending money is also natural. Money anyway doesn’t stay with us forever. The want of money will not affect the honour of a person who is steadfast and balanced. It is also not proper to say that money makes a mean-minded person honourable. Even if we decorate a dog with hundred gold chains, will it become equal to a lion? You are a sensible person. There is nothing that has lowered your respect. As you said, God the all-merciful will not keep quiet without giving us some food. There is no need for me to worry as to how I will live my life.”

“To tell the truth, you know all rules and principles. I needn’t tell you much. You are as important for me as this Laghupatanakudu is. It is God who has brought us together. Let us spend our time happily with what we find. Do not be worried,” said Mandharudu.

Hiranyakudu liked these words. He was rid of his worry and began to feel happy.

“Mandhara! You have spoken the words which a good friend should say! What you said is true. There is God anyway. Why should we worry? When God created many types of cattle, birds and other animals in this world, he created food also for them as well as shelter. Forgetting this fact, struggling to earn money and material more than its need and then undergoing more difficulties to safeguard the wealth - all this is foolishness. The desire to gain limitless wealth results only in sorrow but not in happiness. If only man can lessen his ambitions and desires, there will be no rich man, no poor man. More than wealth, gaining a friend like you is all the more the greater wealth.”

 The wheel of time was rolling.

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