There once lived two brothers in a small village. The elder brother, Tunde, was hard working and diligent. He helped his father on the farm, studied at school, and saved his money for the future. The younger brother, Segun, was lazy and foolish. He hated working on the farm, skipped school, and spent his money on trivial things. He believed that money grew on trees and he could get rich without any effort.
One day, their father fell ill and could not work anymore. He called his sons and said, "My sons, I have no money to leave you. All I have is this land and these trees. You must take care of them and yourselves. They are your inheritance and your source of income." He then gave each son a half of the land and a half of the trees.
Tunde thanked his father and promised to work hard and make him proud. He planted crops on his land, watered and pruned his trees, and sold his produce at the market. He earned enough money to support his father, himself, and his future family. He also learned new skills and made new friends.
Segun scoffed at his father and said, "Why should I work hard and waste my time on this land and these trees? They are worthless. I will find a way to get rich without lifting a finger. I will wait for the money to grow on the trees." He then neglected his land and his trees, and spent his time gambling, drinking, and sleeping. He wasted his money on useless things and borrowed from others. He learned nothing and made no friends.
Years passed and the brothers grew older. Tunde became a successful and respected farmer, businessman, and leader. He had a beautiful wife, three children, and a comfortable home. He was happy and content. Segun became a poor and despised beggar, thief, and liar. He had no wife, no children, and no home. He was miserable and bitter.
One day, Segun saw Tunde's house and decided to rob it. He sneaked into the house at night and searched for valuables. He found a chest full of gold coins and jewels. He thought, "This is it. This is the money that grows on trees. My brother must have found the secret and kept it from me. Well, now it is mine. I will take it and run away. I will be rich and happy."
He opened the chest and grabbed a handful of coins. But as soon as he touched them, he felt a sharp pain in his hand. He looked and saw that the coins were not gold, but iron. They had spikes on them that pierced his skin and drew blood. He screamed and dropped the coins. He then heard a voice say, "These are not money that grows on trees. These are money that comes from hard work, honesty, and generosity. You have none of these qualities, so you cannot have these money. You only have pain, guilt, and shame. You have wasted your life and your inheritance. You have nothing and you are nothing."
Segun realized that the voice was his father's. He felt a surge of fear, regret, and sorrow. He ran out of the house, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He never returned to the village. He wandered the land, alone and unhappy, until he died.
The moral of the story is: Money does not grow on trees. It comes from hard work, honesty, and generosity. Lazy and foolish people who believe otherwise will end up with nothing but pain, guilt, and shame.
Comments
Post a Comment