In his own trap

The people of a small village were simple and noble. Their goodness and hospitality were famous far and wide. In the same village there lived a wise man. People used to listen to his advice, but they did not follow it. When a thug heard about him, he arrived in this village in a very bad state and told the people a false story of his robbery.

These people, sympathizing, treated him well and arranged for him to stay in a house.

After a few days, the thug said to the villagers: “Give me an axe. I will make a living by chopping wood. I do not like being a burden on you people.”

The people happily agreed and gave him an axe.

He took the axe and went towards the forest.

He sat there all day under a tree and returned empty-handed in the evening with the axe. The people were very surprised and asked why he had returned empty-handed. Didn’t he find any dry trees?

The thug said that there were many trees, but when I started to cut one tree, the tree said to me: "Don't cut me. I will give you a lot of money." When I agreed, the tree told me this trick: if you put some money next to my hollow trunk, your money will double the next morning. I sat there all day thinking that until it is tested, nothing can be said about the truth or falsehood of the tree.

People believed him as per their habit. They asked him: “Why didn’t you try it?”

The thug said: “You all know that I am a robbed traveler. Where is my money? Since you are my benefactors, I am telling you this trick so that I can repay your kindness.

People appreciated his sincerity and decided to try this trick.

A wise man of the village explained to the villagers, but when they did not believe him, he left the people to their fate. The people together collected some money and placed it near the trunk of the tree that was mentioned. At night, the same traveler went there and counted the money and placed the same amount of money with him.

The next morning, when the people went there, the money had indeed doubled.

They were very happy to see this and at the request of the traveler, they left all the money there, so that the money would double again this time.

Meanwhile, the wise man was very surprised and was wondering how this could happen! After much thought, he realized that this traveler was a thug. As soon as this idea came to him, he hid in the bushes near the tree in the evening. When darkness fell, the same thug who was in the form of the traveler came secretly and put an equal amount of money in it.

Seeing this, the wise man laughed heartily. After the thug returned, he also came home with quick steps. The next morning, the people again found double the money there. Now they were convinced that this man was telling the truth and that this tree was a miraculous tree.

The thug said to them: "If you people keep a lot of wealth here, you will become the richest people in the world." The people became greedy and by evening the wealth of the entire village was piled up there, but this time the wise man did not add his money and started thinking about something.

As the evening shadows fell, the wise man reached there and quickly filled all the money in sacks and hid it near a drain and filled a sheet with small stones to make a bundle and kept it there. At night, the thug came happily. He understood that today the people had tied all their money in a sheet.

He picked up the bundle and left from there. When the wise man was sure that he would not be deceived again, he also returned home.

The next morning, when the people reached there happily, the money was missing. Everyone was shocked. They came to the thug's place, but he was not there either. They kept looking for him until evening, but he was not found. The thug kept walking all night long. He stayed, so that he would be out of the reach of the villagers. After going a long way and stopping at a place, when he opened the bundle, he saw that it contained stones instead of money.

He was very upset. He realized that the wise man had somehow realized his deception and had taken advantage of the opportunity. But now, if he had gone back, instead of believing his words, they would have made amends, so he thought it was safe to run away.

Meanwhile, when the people in the village were quite worried, the wise man told them the whole incident and also returned their money, which had doubled. The people were very happy and from then on, they not only started respecting him, but also started doing everything according to his advice. The thug who had come to rob the people of this village, was robbed himself.