Moral Stories 143
Story of a Traitor Merchant
Long time ago there lived a merchant in a country. His name was
Jirnadhan. Once he decided to go abroad. He would earn riches from
abroad and come back. In his house he had a pair of iron-made
scales of his ancestors. It was very heavy and durable. He could not
decide the person to whom he would keep the pair of scales.
Suddenly he remembered a merchant friend of his. The house of that
merchant was nearby. That merchant was rich enough. Jirnadhan
went to his house and said,
-My friend, I've decided to go abroad. I want to keep this pair of
scales to you. These were precious belongings of my ancestors. I'll
take it back when I would return from abroad.
The friend merchant said,
-That's fine. A friend surely comes to his friend in times of need.
Leave your pair of scales here.
The merchant kept the pair of scales happily. Jirnadhan felt much
relieved and went abroad.
After many days Jirnadhan returned home. Then he went to his
friend and wanted his pair of scales back. In fact, this merchant
friend of his was very greedy. He liked the pair of scales of his
friend very much. So he was not willing to give it back. He came
with a sad appearance on his face and said,
-Brother Jirnadhan, what should I say? I couldn't protect the pair of
scales of yours. I kept it in the store room. After a few days I found
that the mouse had eaten it up.
Jirnadhan thought, it was impossible for a mouse to eat those heavy
scales made of iron.
He realized that the merchant did not want to give it back. So he
played tricks too and made a story of his own.
He replied to the merchant with a sympathetic voice,