Brief Summary
This story revolves around a laborer who unknowingly finds a valuable diamond and a merchant who sells it for a pittance due to his own stinginess. The tale imparts three key lessons: avoid being excessively stingy, seize opportunities without delay, and act promptly rather than procrastinating.
- Stinginess can lead to missed opportunities.
- Hesitation can cause you to lose out on valuable chances.
- Procrastination can result in missed opportunities.
The Laborer and the Diamond
A laborer in a small village, who earns his living by digging and selling soil, discovers a diamond but, unaware of its true value, uses it as an ornament for his donkey. A merchant notices the "shiny stone" and buys it for a mere 50 rupees. The merchant displays the stone in his shop, where it catches the eye of a jeweler.
The Merchant and the Jewelers
A jeweler recognizes the stone as a priceless diamond and offers the merchant 80 rupees, haggling over the merchant's asking price of 100 rupees. Frustrated by the merchant's insistence, the jeweler leaves, intending to return with a slightly higher offer. However, another jeweler passes by, immediately recognizes the diamond's worth, and buys it for the full 100 rupees without hesitation.
Regret and the Lessons Learned
The first jeweler returns the next day only to find the diamond gone. Upon learning it was sold for just 100 rupees, he berates the merchant for his ignorance. The merchant retorts that the jeweler, despite knowing the diamond's true value, lost it over a mere 20 rupees due to his stinginess. The story concludes by highlighting three lessons: avoid excessive stinginess, seize opportunities promptly, and act without delay.
