The rat that ate iron

Jveernadhana was a merchant's son who was not successful. He faced a loss in his business and lost all his money. He thought of travelling to a different part of the country to seek success.

He had inherited a very costly iron balance from his ancestors. When leaving, he mortgaged the iron balance to a nearby merchant in exchange of money for his travels. He travelled all over the country, and had a successful travel. The merchant's son then decided to return to his home town.

After his return, he went to the nearby merchant's place and asked for his iron balance, "O Friend! Please return the iron balance that I had kept with you." The other merchant did not want to return it, he said, "I do not have it anymore. We have a problem with rats. The rats are eating up everything. They have eaten up your iron balance, too!"

At once, the merchant's son knew the truth. He replied, "If the rats have eaten it up, there is nothing that you can do. Anyway, nothing can last forever!" He continued, I am eager to go for a bath in the river, please ask your boy to help me carry my belongings, and to look after them while I take my bath"

When the other merchant saw his friend returning alone, he asked, "Where is my boy? Why have you returned alone?"

When the village elder, and everybody else who had crowded there heard the story, they started laughing. The other merchant was embarrassed. The village elder instructed the other merchant to return the iron balance to the merchant's son immediately, and recover his son from the cave.

Moral: 'Tit for tat' is the best policy in life