The Priest, the Bear, and the Greedy Lumberjack

The Greedy Lumberjack and the Clever Priest

BY:Khan

Once, in a quiet village surrounded by fields and forests, there lived a simple priest. One afternoon, he set out to visit a wealthy man in the neighboring village. This man was not only rich but also famous for his generosity. He often gave alms to beggars, helped the poor, and treated priests with the utmost respect.

The priest was welcomed warmly and treated with kindness. When he was ready to leave, the rich man presented him with a heavy pouch filled with shining gold coins. The priest’s eyes lit up with joy. He had never held so much wealth in his life. Overwhelmed with happiness, he bowed in gratitude and set off on his journey home.

The path back to his own village was through a dark, dense forest. Normally, the priest would feel uneasy about walking through it alone, but that day he was too happy to be afraid. He hummed songs to himself, clutching the pouch of gold at his waist, and hurried along so he could reach home before sunset.

But happiness is fragile. It can shatter in a single moment.

As he walked, suddenly the priest froze. Right in front of him, standing on the narrow path, was a huge bear. Its growl echoed through the silent forest, and its sharp claws scratched against the earth. Terror gripped the priest’s heart. His legs trembled, and the bag of gold that had seemed so precious now felt meaningless in the face of death.

Without thinking, the priest turned and began to run. Seeing him flee, the bear chased after him. The forest rang with the sound of pounding footsteps—man and beast locked in a deadly race. But the priest was not young or strong. Soon his breath grew heavy, his legs weakened, and his body could run no more. Exhausted, he stopped in despair, knowing the bear was upon him.

The great animal lunged at him, and the priest did the only thing he could—he grabbed the bear’s tail. Clinging to it with all his strength, he spun the bear in circles. The forest echoed with the roar of the beast and the frantic effort of the man. Around and around they went, a strange, almost comical sight, though it was a matter of life and death.

As the priest struggled, the pouch tied to his waist came loose. The gold coins inside spilled out, scattering across the forest floor like fallen stars. But the priest barely noticed. His only thought was, If I let go of this tail, I will surely die.

And so he spun the bear endlessly, praying in his heart that some miracle would save him.

As fate would have it, a lumberjack was passing through that part of the forest. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide with astonishment. Before him was a sight beyond belief: a priest whirling a bear by its tail, gold coins glittering across the ground.

The lumberjack stepped closer. “Priest! What are you doing? And why are there so many gold coins scattered everywhere?”

The priest, desperate yet quick-witted, saw an opportunity to escape. “Ah, my friend!” he cried, still spinning. “These gold coins fell out because I was turning this bear’s tail. The more you spin it, the more gold comes out!”

Greed instantly clouded the lumberjack’s mind. His eyes fixed on the coins. “You already have plenty,” he said eagerly. “Let me try. Let me hold the tail so I can earn some gold too.”

At first the priest refused, pretending to be reluctant. But after some back and forth, he sighed and said, “Very well. Since you insist, take the tail. But hold it firmly and keep spinning, or you will lose everything!”

The foolish lumberjack grabbed the bear’s tail eagerly, and the priest wasted no time. He bent down, scooped up as many coins as he could, and ran off toward the safety of his village, leaving the poor man alone with the raging beast.

The lumberjack spun the bear with all his might, waiting for coins to shower from the sky. But no coins came. His arms grew weak, his breath short, and his body could no longer keep up. At last his grip loosened. The bear roared in fury, broke free, and pounced.

The forest went silent. The lumberjack’s greed had sealed his fate.

The priest, however, reached his village safely, clutching his pouch of gold. Though he had lost some coins, he had saved his life through quick thinking. Later, as he reflected on what had happened, he whispered to himself, “Wit can save a man, but greed destroys him.”

From then on, the tale of the priest, the bear, and the greedy lumberjack spread through the villages. It was told as a warning: that courage and cleverness may bring survival, but blind greed will always lead to ruin.