KANJOOS (MISER)

 Ramlal was my neighbor. He was a very rich man. He was not educated but grace of goddess Lakshami (goddess of wealth) was always on him. It is called that Lakshami and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge) cannot live together. Scholars of the village were in wretched condition and always spread hands before him. Males and females of his family worked hard in the field and produced sufficient crops of all varieties. He had thirty acres of land. Due to hard labor, the yield of the field was highest in the village though so many honorable persons had more landed property than he had. The reason was that honorable persons did not work in the field, their all works were done by labors where as Ramlal’s sons, and grandsons worked hard labor themselves. Respected persons got only half of the produced; there was none to have share in Ramlal’s crops. Moreover, there cannot be comparison between the work done by self and that of done by labors. When farmer is not active and work is left on labors, some quantity is wasted and some stolen. The remaining is divided in two parts. Few portions come to farmer’s door. A story about Ramlal’s riches is famous. His eldest daughter found a copper jar filled with gold coins while she was digging field. She came home and gave the jar to her father very secretly. No one knew the matter. He encased the gold coin very slowly and purchased land. Now he became a big property owner. Every year he purchased some land by selling crops.

                                                                     Though, Ramlal had become rich, his food habits and dress did not change. He became pleased when every member ate only bread and salt and wore ragged clothes. New generation did not tolerate and changed food habits and dresses. Ramlal could not bear and started abusing every member. Family members found out a clue. In the presence of Ramlal they pretended to eat only salt and bread. When Ram went towards fields, they ate good dishes. Ram was very pleased eating salt and bread daily, thinking that all used the same food.