Once, a woman had three sons. She loved the eldest the most though he was her stepson. The boy was hardworking and the family prospered under him. But their neighbours did not like this. They poisoned the younger sons’ ears against the elder son. Under her sons’ insistence, she told her eldest son that there was a snake in his stomach. The son lost his appetite and became very sick. He could not do any work. The neighbours grabbed this opportunity and took over their land. The two younger sons were unable to do anything. So, they realised their mistake and told their mother to make the eldest son well. The mother told the eldest son that the snake had crept out of his stomach and there was nothing to fear. The son was well again and took back his land from the neighbours. Every-thing was well again.
The Hardworking Son
