Two hawkers went around to different villages selling brass and tin vessels, sometimes in exchange for old ones. Often each of them covered one half of a village.
Once they came to a village where a poor widow lived with her little grand-daughter. The little girl wanted her Granny to buy something for her, but they had no money. Only an old bowl lay on the shelf.
When one hawker came to their street, she went out with the bowl, “Can you give something nice for my grand-daughter in exchange for this?” The hawker took the bowl and scratched its side with a piece of metal. It gleamed and he knew it was gold. He was a greedy man and did not want to pay the widow. Aloud he said, “This is worthless!” and threw it back. He planned to come back later and take it.
After he had gone away, the second hawker came. Once again, the little girl asked Granny to buy her something from the hawker. “But child, the other fellow said that our bowl is worthless,” said her grandmother.
“This man has a kind face, Granny. He may give us something,” pleaded the little girl. Granny went out again to ask the hawker. He was an honest man. He took the bowl and scratched it. Once again, it gleamed.
“Mother, this is made of gold! All my goods cannot pay for this bowl!” said the hawker. Granny was surprised. “But one fellow just told us it was worthless!” “No Mother, it is very valuable,” replied the hawker. “Then will you give me something for my grand-daughter? Because I have no use for this bowl anymore,” said the old woman.
“I will give you all my goods, Mother. I would like you to give me some coins so that I may pay the boatman to ferry me across the river.” The woman gave him a few coins and he gave all his wares for the bowl. He went to the boatman and said, “Don’t stop at all.”
In a little while, the first hawker returned to the old woman’s house. “Old lady, I felt sorry for you, so I have come back. Bring the bowl; I’ll give you something for it,” he said. “But you said it was worthless. Besides, I have already given it to another hawker,” said the widow. The hawker was amazed.
He ran to the river in time to see the other man going across in the boat. “Come back!” he shouted. But the boatman kept rowing. That hawker went on to become a prosperous merchant. Honesty does pay!
