This is the story of an honest farmer. He raised crops from his field and supported himself and his family. One year there were no rains. It became difficult for people to feed themselves. The farmer thought the best way was to go to the nearby forest and cut trees. "I will be able to sell the wood and support my family." Thinking thus, he armed himself with an axe and rope and went into the forest. He saw a tree and raised his axe to cut it. A strange thing happened. The tree said in a human voice. "Wait a bit. I am a mango tree. Soon I will bear fruits. People will eat them and satisfy their hunger. Please do not cut me." What the tree said sounded true to the farmer. He gave up the idea of cutting it.
He proceeded further and came to a neem tree. The tree also spoke in a human voice and said. "Please do not cut me. So many people and animals take shelter under me. Birds eat my fruits and I am useful in making medicines." The tree sounded true to the farmer's ears. He proceeded further and came across a huge banyan tree. He raised his axe to cut the tree. Like the other trees, it said in a human voice, "O! Farmer. Don't you see how useful I am? So many birds make their nest in my branches. Also despite my huge size, my fruits are very small so that those who take shelter under me do not get hurt when they fall to the ground." The honest farmer was convinced of what the banyan tree and other trees had said about themselves.
He had come a long way from his house and now entered a deep forest. He met a strange man. He had the face of a man but dressed in a funny manner. He was carrying a shining rod in his hand. The farmer asked, "Who are you? you have such funny appearance." The funny man replied, "I am the father of the trees you had tried to cut. I am grateful to you for having saved my children." Then he handed over the shining rod he was having in his hand to the farmer and said, "This is a magic rod made of gold. If you wave it thrice in the air, it will grant you your every wish. But your wish should be pure and it should not be improper."
The happy farmer returned to his house and wanted to test if what the strange man said was true. He waved the rod thrice in the air and wished for sweets and other eatables. Lo an behold! There were containers having eatables right in front of his house. This way six generations of the farmer's family led a contended life.
But trouble arose with the seventh generation. The people were very wayward in their behaviour. When it was raining, they wanted sunshine. The magic rod fulfilling their desire. But it was becoming too much.
On a winter evening as it was cold, the head of the family wished for sunshine. The sun came out of the winter sky and began to shine as if it was mid-day. The sun became so hot that everything caught fire, including the magic rod.
Moral of the story
"One should never be greedy."
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