A Parcel to Heaven

A farmers daughter had died. One of their neighbor, who wanted to cheat them, contacted the farmer’s wife and demanded some clothes and eatables. He said, ‘Your daughter in heaven has neither anything to eat nor clothes to wear.’ The farmer’s wife loved her daughter much. Knowing about her needs, she felt very sorry for her. So without giving a serious thought to the demand, she willingly gave certain clothes, sweets and ornaments to the cheat. The cheater took the things and left happily. To escape farmer’s wrath, he then carefully disposed of the things and then left for the forest to cut woods.

When the farmer returned from the fields, his wife told him that she has sent a parcel of clothes, sweets and ornaments to her daughter in heaven through such and such person. The farmer understood that they have been cheated. He took out his horse straightaway went to the forest to teach the cheater a lesson. The cheater had climbed a tree to cut wood. The farmer also climbed the same tree to catch the cheater. But before he could catch him, the cheater jumped from above on the back of the horse and ran away with the horse. The farmer understood that he has lost his horse as well. So to balance the situation, he shouted after the cheater, ‘Please tell my daughter that the clothes and ornaments are given by her mother and the horse by the father.’

In the state of utter helplessness, one tries to show such generosity. To save people from cheats, saints give such examples in their sermons.