Everyday a woman used to bake chapatti (roti)
for her family members and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She always kept
the extra chapatti on the window sill, for whosoever would take it away. Every day, a hunchback came and took away the chapatti.
Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his
way: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!”
This went on, day after day. Every day, the hunchback came, picked up the
chapatti and uttered the words:
for her family members and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She always kept
the extra chapatti on the window sill, for whosoever would take it away. Every day, a hunchback came and took away the chapatti.
Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his
way: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!”
This went on, day after day. Every day, the hunchback came, picked up the
chapatti and uttered the words:
“The evil you do, remains with you: The good
you do, comes back to you!” The woman felt irritated. “Not a word of
gratitude,” she said to herself… “Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle!
What does he mean?” One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. “I
shall get rid of this hunchback,” she said. And what did she do? She added
poison to the chapatti she prepared for him!
you do, comes back to you!” The woman felt irritated. “Not a word of
gratitude,” she said to herself… “Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle!
What does he mean?” One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. “I
shall get rid of this hunchback,” she said. And what did she do? She added
poison to the chapatti she prepared for him!
sill, her hands trembled. “What is this I am doing?” she said. Immediately, she
threw the chapatti into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the
window sill. As usual, the hunchback came, picked up the chapatti and muttered
the words: “The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to
you!”
The hunchback proceeded on his way,
blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Every day, as
the woman placed the chapatti on the window sill, she offered a prayer for her
son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she
had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return.
blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Every day, as
the woman placed the chapatti on the window sill, she offered a prayer for her
son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she
had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return.
As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway. He
had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry,
starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, “Mom, it’s a miracle I’m here.
While I was but a mile away, I was so famished that I collapsed. I would have
died, but just then an old hunchback passed by. I begged of him for a morsel of
food, and he was kind enough to give me a whole chapatti. As he gave it to me,
he said, “This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your
need is greater than mine!”
As the mother heard those words, her face
turned pale. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the
poisoned chapatti that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the
fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life!
turned pale. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the
poisoned chapatti that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the
fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life!
It was then that she realized the
significance of the words: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do,
comes back to you!”
significance of the words: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do,
comes back to you!”
Do well and don’t ever stop doing well, even if it is
not appreciated at that time. If you continue doing good things for others, goodness
must not leave you empty handed.
If you like this, don’t forget to share it.
~~~~~*~~~~~
