The Two Friends

Two Wood-Cutters

In Iran, two friends lived as wood-cutters by profession. They carried the chopped wood from the forest to the market, earning just enough money to make ends meet but not enough for a comfortable living for their families. Often, they discussed possible ways to grow rich, but none of their ideas seemed feasible.

A Difference in Values

Ibrahim was a firm believer in God and was unwilling to act against the principles of truth. In contrast, Ismail had a different attitude; he was always eager to seize any opportunity that came his way.

The Discovery of Wealth

One day, while chopping wood, Ismail remarked, “Sometimes people find hidden or buried wealth in the forest. I wish we could come across something like that!”

“That wouldn’t be a true gain,” replied Ibrahim. “According to the law, the king is the rightful owner of all such wealth.”

“The law says that for fools!” Ismail scoffed.

After cutting down three trees, the two friends finished their work for the day and returned home, planning to come back the next day to chop the trunks into smaller pieces.

The Jar of Gold

The next day, they resumed their work as usual. Suddenly, as Ibrahim split the trunk of a tree with his axe, he let out a shriek. Inside the trunk was a jar filled with gold coins.

He rushed to Ismail to share his discovery. “What are you going to do with it?” asked Ismail.
“I must carry the jar to the king and offer it to him!” replied Ibrahim.
“Fool! Shouldn’t you rather use the wealth to change your own destiny?” asked Ismail.
“If my destiny is to change, it should do so while I remain true to my principles. I refuse to see my destiny altered through dishonesty,” replied Ibrahim.

A Moral Choice

Ibrahim returned to the jar, surprised that Ismail did not come to inspect it. He decided to hide the jar in a bundle of logs and proceeded to meet the king.

The king received Ibrahim warmly, accepted the jar, and rewarded him with a thousand gold coins.

The Consequences of Greed

Ibrahim returned to his village a wealthy man, purchasing a new house and opening a shop in the nearest bazaar. However, a few days later, he learned that Ismail had been arrested for deceiving a merchant using counterfeit gold coins.

Worried about his friend, Ibrahim rushed to the king’s court to plead for Ismail’s release. The king smiled and said to his courtiers, “Here is an interesting case of two friends — one a man of truth and the other a greedy man. I happened to be nearby when they discussed hidden property and decided to test them. I arranged for two jars filled with counterfeit coins to be lodged in the logs they were to chop. The jars seemed real, but neither contained true gold.”

A Surprise Ending

“One jar reached me, while the other made its way to the market. The man who took that jar turned out to be a prosperous merchant. Although Ismail is now a prisoner, I will release him at your request,” said the king.

Overjoyed, Ibrahim invited Ismail to join him in his business. Ismail accepted the offer happily, and together they prospered.

Reflections on Life

Meanwhile, a local boy named Vijay shared a dream with his friend Raman: “I found a tumbler full of milk and was thrilled. I lit my stove to warm the milk, but the dream ended before I could take a sip.”
“You fool,” Raman laughed, “you should have drunk the milk cold!”

In another encounter, an elephant saw a mouse for the first time and exclaimed, “My God! What a small creature!”
“No doubt a nasty fever has affected my health. You should have seen me last week!” retorted the mouse.