Long ago, there lived a rich merchant. He was very wise and honest. One day, he died and left all he had earned for his son. The rich merchant, due to his kind deeds, became a divine being in heaven. Now, the son was a scoundrel. He squandered away all the wealth in gambling and other bad activities and became poor. The merchant saw all this and felt pity for his son. So, he appeared in front of his son, and said, “Take this wishing cup and wish for anything and it will appear. Also, I advise you to mend your ways.” The son took the cup and became rich. But he did not mend his ways. One day, in a drunken state, he broke the cup and became poor again. The merchant could only sigh from above.
The Merchant and His Son
