Once upon a time, there were two brothers who were living alone in a hut. The elder brother was cunning by nature whereas the younger one was innocent. The elder brother married a rich lady and the younger brother married a poor lady. After the marriage, the elder brother told the younger brother that he was moving out and going to live in his rich wife’s house. He also told him not to visit him for any reason whatsoever. The younger brother continued to live with his wife in the hut.
One day, a sparrow came flying by the hut. The sparrow had an injured foot and hence it sat on the window of the hut. But the sparrow was not any ordinary sparrow. It was multi coloured and had many special characteristics that did not meet the eye of the common man. The wife then said she would nurse the sparrow’s foot and ensure it got better. She applied a medicinal paste and then carefully bandaged the foot. Within some time, the sparrow recovered and flew away. As it flew away, the sparrow thanked the couple and said that it would leave a gift for them later at the same spot where it sat injured on the window.
After a few days, the younger brother found a tiny basket on the window and in it, he found some pumpkin seeds. He took it to his wife and together they happily planted them near their house. The next day, they found big pumpkins awaiting them in the same spot where they had planted the seeds the previous day. Both of them harvested the pumpkins and took them home. Just as they were going to cut them open to feast on them, a beautiful surprise awaited them. As the younger brother cut open one of the pumpkins, gold coins and jewels came tumbling out. The younger brother then opened the other 2 pumpkins and found the same! The couple was now so rich that they became the richest family in the village, surpassing even his own elder brother and his wife!
The elder brother came to know of this and soon he grew jealous. He went to his younger brother and asked him how he became rich. The younger brother being innocent in nature, told him everything without any hesitation. The elder brother then went home and told his wife about this. Together, they ordered their servant to find and catch the sparrow. So, the servant went and caught the sparrow. He then handed the sparrow over to them. The elder brother then broke the sparrow’s leg and his wife tended to the wound as if she was helping. The sparrow then recovered and after thanking them, the sparrow flew away.
The sparrow then came back and the same set of events like before took place again. When the elder brother and his wife took the pumpkins inside the house and cut it open, smoke arose from it and before they knew it, the pumpkin blew up in their faces. When they regained consciousness, they saw that their house and wealth was blown to bits and pieces. They themselves had suffered major injuries and they now realised what their greed had cost them.
Moral - Covet all, lose all. Nothing good comes out of being greedy.