What Do We Want From Life?

Once upon time there was a poor peasant in Russia. He was very contended whatever he had. He was managing his family’s affairs with whatever he was earning. But his elder brother was richer than him. One day, as his mind wandered, he thought that his brother was getting richer and richer, day after day. He thought he could also be richer, and provide with more facilities to his family. So he started saving some money to buy more land. Once he had enough money, he started shopping for land.

He noticed that on the adjacent land, there were some nomads living there. He bought some gifts and went to their Chief. He presented the gifts to him (the chief) and told the purpose of his visit. The Chief welcomed him, accepted the gift and fulfilled his request to acquire the land. He told him that he could have the land without giving him anything. He can take as much land as he could cover by walking through the land before sunset. He should start in the morning and whatever distance he could cover during the day, he could have it.

The peasant got very happy to hear this offer. Now he could have lots of land without paying anything. He came in the morning and started running, not walking, so that he could cover the largest area. In the desire to cover the maximum area, he neither took his food, nor drank water, or took any rest. He just continued running. Without eating, or drinking, or resting he just got damn tired when he came back in the evening, and as he came back to the Chief, he got exhausted and died right on the spot.

Sadly people made the arrangements for his funeral and buried him in a 6′x4′ land – that is what everybody needs.

Lesson: Don’t be greedy, you may loss everything in the process. Remember you will one day loss everything you own and leave this earth for good.

Source: Russian Folktale, Uknown