Grasp All Lose All
One day a hungry dog was looking
for food. He was walking to and fro to have some food. But he did not get any
opportunity. At last, he was wandering around a butcher’s shop and seeking
opportunity to steal a piece of meat. After a while, the butcher went to wash
room leaving his shop empty.
The dog’s eyes sparkled with
hope. He crept silently into the shop, sniffing the air that carried the
irresistible scent of fresh meat. There, on the counter, lay a juicy piece of
beef—unguarded, glistening. With a swift leap, the dog grabbed the meat and ran
out, tail high with triumph.
Crossing the streets and dodging
carts, he headed for the riverbank, where he could enjoy his prize in peace.
But as he reached the narrow wooden bridge, he happened to look down into the
water. There, in the river’s reflection, he saw another dog holding a big piece
of meat—bigger than his own, or so he thought.
Greedy and fooled by the
illusion, the dog barked to snatch the other meat. But as he opened his mouth,
his own meat dropped with a splash into the river below. The current swept it
away before he could react.
Now he stood on the
bridge—wet-mouthed, empty-jawed, and full of regret. He had lost everything
chasing a shadow.
Moral of the story: Greed
often destroys what we already have.