Three Simple Rules

Once, there was a greedy merchant. He was very rich, yet he wanted more money.

One day, he was taking a walk in a garden. He saw a beautiful little bird on a rose-bush. It had amazingly colourful feathers. The merchant had never seen such a bird in his life. He slowly went near the bush, unseen. And then he caught the bird.

The bird asked, “Why have you caught me?” “To sell you and make money,” answered the merchant.

“But you are already rich. Why do you want more?” asked the bird. “Because I want to become richer,” replied the greedy man.

“But nobody will buy me. Once I am captured, I lose my beauty and my sweet voice.” Saying this, the colourful bird slowly turned into a black coloured bird. The merchant’s hope of making money was destroyed. He shouted angrily, “I will kill you and eat you.”

“Eat me! You will not get much meat out of me, I am so small,” replied the bird.

“Set me free! In return I shall teach you three simple but useful rules,” the bird added.

“What is the use of the rules? I want only money,” the merchant said, irritated.

“But these rules can profit you greatly,” added the bird.

“Profit me! Really? Then, I shall set you free. But how can I trust you? You may fly away,” the merchant responded. “I give you my word. And I always keep my word,” promised the bird.

The greedy merchant decided to take a chance. He released the bird. It flew up at once and sat on a tree. Its colour started changing and it became beautiful again.

“Now teach me the rules,” the merchant said eagerly with enthusiasm.

The bird said, “The first rule is, ‘never believe in everything others say’. The second rule is, ‘never be sad about something you do not have’. The third rule is, ‘never throw away what you have in your hands.’”

The merchant told, “You silly bird! Everyone knows these three rules. You have cheated me.”

The bird said, “Think about all your actions of today. You had me in your hands, but you let me go. You believed in what I said. And you are sad about not having me. The rules are simple, but you did not follow them.”

Saying so, the bird flew away and disappeared from the merchant’s sight.

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