Ramu – the Weaver

Once upon a time, in a small city lived a weaver called Ramu. He spent hours designing garments-garments fit for a prince’s wardrobe. Despite all the hard work he put in, he was not able to earn enough money. He saw other weavers around him who weaved course cloth and yet earned a lot of money.
One day he told his wife, “I don’t seem to be earning enough in this city. I am going to somewhere else to earn a living.”
His wife tried to dissuade him but he would not listen to her, and went to another city. Ramu stayed there for three years and earned three hundred gold coins. After three years he decided to return home.
On his way back, he had to cross a forest. Now the sun was about to set, and the weaver decided to rest in the forest during the night. He selected a stout banyan tree, hid his bag of gold coins in a hole in the tree and slept under it. At midnight, he woke up when he heard some noises. He saw two human figures whose eyes were bloodshot. He heard them abusing each other.
One of them was saying, “Come on Ram! You tried every possible ways to prevent Ramu from earning good amount of money, and you have given him three hundred gold coins.”
“Now, Laxman!” said the other, “I was forced to give Ramu a reward for his hard work. If you want to take away the reward, you can.”
As soon as Ramu heard this, he began looking for his bag of gold.
To his surprise, he found the bag empty. ‘Oh God! I worked so hard to earn money and now I have lost it. What will I tell my wife and friends?’ he thought. He decided to go back to the city again and earn the money.
There he earned five hundred gold coins in just a single year. Once again he started for home, but this time by a different road. When the sun was about to set, he came across the banyan tree. He slept under it. At midnight he woke up and again saw the same two figures.
One of them said, “Ram, why did you give this fellow Ramu five hundred gold coins?
Don’t you know that he’s not supposed to get a thing beyond food and clothes?”
“Dear friend, Laxman,” said the other, “I am to give to the enterprising. If you want to take away the reward, you can.”
When Ramu heard this, he looked for his bag and found it empty. He was very sad. ‘What good is life to me if I keep losing my money? I will just hang myself from this banyan tree and die,’ he thought. As he was about to hang himself, a voice spoke to him, “Do not be so rash. I am the person who takes your money and gives you enough for food and clothes. Now go home. Whenever you need anything just ask me.”
“In that case,” said Ramu, “give me plenty of money.”
“But my friend,” said the voice, “what will you do with excess money? All you need money for is to buy food and clothes.”
“Even if I have no use for it, I still want the money because anybody who is rich becomes famous. So give me plenty of money,” said Ramu.
“I will give you plenty of money, but first you must go back to the city. In the city live two brothers, Gopal and Bhola. Their father is a merchant. When you have observed their conduct, ask yourself whether you need the money or not,” said the voice.
So Ramu returned to the city. He searched for Gopal’s house. After some troubles he finally found the house. Ramu was not at all welcomed there. Gopal’s wife and children very grudgingly allowed him to stay. At night he was given dinner, but nobody spoke to him.
The next day he was given no food, because Gopal was suffering from cholera and no food was cooked in their house.
Ramu left Gopal’s house and went to Bhola’s house. Here he was greeted with much honour. A feast was lead before him and he was given new garments. When he saw Bhola’s hospitality, he thought, ‘Gopal has much money, yet he did not treat me well, whereas Bhola has hardly any money, yet he treats me well with whatever little he has.’
So he happily returned to his own house and prayed to God to make him a good person, one who would put his money to proper use.