The Gold Giving Serpent

Long time ago there was a Brahmin named Haridatta. He was a very hard working person yet very poor. One fine day, while resting in the shadow of the tree after the tiring working hours, he saw an anthill in his field that housed a big snake. Assuming that the serpent must be the guardian deity of the field and he had never paid respect to it, he brought some milk and offered it to the serpent. He also asked for forgiveness from the snake for not offering anything before prior to that day.

Next day, he found a gold coin in the milk bowl. Soon enough, this became a regular practice. Brahmin used to offer milk to the snake and found a gold coin every time in the bowl. During one of those days, Brahmin had to go to the town so he instructed his son to take care of the serpent by feeding him the milk. Next day, when son found the gold coin in the bowl he assumed this anthill must be full of gold coins. So why not kill the serpent and take out all the gold coins? His greed made him come up with a plan next day.

Next day, he came up with a stick along with milk. When the serpent came out for milk, Brahmin’s son attacked him with the stick. The snake managed to escape the blow and attacked boy who died instantly. Two days later when the Brahmin returned he came to know about his son’s death. He figured out the entire incident and yet tried serving the milk to the serpent.

The snake came out of the anthill and said, ‘Brahmin you have not come here for offering milk alone. You forgot your son’s grief and have come here for the fulfilment of your greed. This is the end of our friendship. Never come to me again.’

The moral of the story is that excess of the greed is always harmful.