Long time ago, there lived two poor friends in a village: Dharmabuddhi and Papabuddhi. Dharmabuddhi was honest and hard-working. Papabuddhi was lazy and cunning. Dharmabuddhi decided to go to the neighbouring kingdom to earn his living.
Papabuddhi knew that he could not do anything on his own, so he thought, “He will certainly do well. Then I shall take away his money somehow and live comfortably.”
Dharmabuddhi had decided to travel, and he was happy that his friend would now be with him. So they took leave of their parents and left. Dharmabuddhi was able to do well and soon, with his intelligence and hard work, he made a fortune. Papabuddhi acted as if he too were working hard, whereas he was really living off his friend’s earnings.
When they had enough, they decided to return to their own village. Papbuddhi began planning how to take the money away from his friend. As they were going through a forest, he said, “Dharma, we have a lot of money. When they see this, our relatives and friends will want to share it. It will be wiser to take only a little with us and to hide the rest here in the forest.”
Dharmabuddhi agreed. So, they buried most of their wealth under a tree and went off home. While Dharmabuddhi slept peacefully, Papabuddhi sneaked off into the forest to dig up the money. He made sure that the pit was covered as before and took the money.
Some days later, Papabuddhi said his money was finished and he suggested that they should go and get some more from the forest. So, he and Dharmabuddhi went to fetch the money. But there was no money found when they dug under the tree. Papabuddhi immediately set up a racket accusing Dharma- buddhi of having stolen all the money.
Dharmabuddhi realised that his friend had tricked him and it was he who was the real thief. He and Papabuddhi took the whole matter to the judge. In that country the judges decided the truth by fire. So, the judge ordered the trial by fire. Papabuddhi was frightened and said the goddess of the tree in the forest would speak the truth.
Papabuddhi told his father, who was as greedy as he, the truth and asked for his help. The father hid in the hollow of the tree at night. In the morning, the judge came there with everyone and asked the tree for the truth. Papabuddhi’s father said Dharmabuddhi was the thief. The judge thought it was the voice of the tree goddess but Dharmabuddhi recognised the voice. He quickly built a fire in the hollow. His friend’s father came out screaming! He confessed the truth and Papabuddhi was punished severely.
