Once upon a time, two merchants lived in a certain city. They were friends with each other. One was cunning, the other was simple-minded. And the merchants decided to go trade elsewhere.
Before they had gone far, the simple-minded man found a wallet containing a thousand dinars. He showed his find to a friend, after which they turned back.
Approaching the city, the friends sat down and began to divide the money. And the simple-minded said to the cunning:
- Half for me, half for you.
But the cunning one, hoping that he would be able to take all the dinars from the simple-minded, replied:
- Why do we need to share them? If this money remains our joint property, then the friendship that binds us will remain unshakable. Let everyone now take as much as they need for expenses, well, at least a hundred dinars.
So they did. Then, burying the rest of the money under a tree, they left. But soon the cunning one returned secretly, took all the money, leveled the place and ran away.
After some time, the simple-minded turned to the cunning:
- I need money. Let's go and get some of those that you and I buried under the tree.
And they both went to the tree under which the money was buried. But, having excavated this place, they found nothing.
Then the cunning one began to beat himself on the head and chest, screamed and reproachfully said to the simple-minded:
- You can never rely on a friend! It is clear that you took the dinars, because no one knew about them except you and me.
And he went to the judge with a complaint:
- My money was stolen!
The judge demanded witnesses from the cunning one, and he, without embarrassment, said:
- I have a witness.
The judge asked:
-Who is your witness?
The cunning one replied:
“The tree itself will testify in my favor.”
The judge was surprised:
- How can a tree be a witness?
However, he gave the cunning man bail, ordering him to appear the next morning for further explanations. The cunning one asked the guarantors to go home and, telling his father about everything that happened, said:
“I took these dinars, and if you, father, help me, I will win the lawsuit.”
His father asked:
- What should I do?
He replied:
- This tree is hollow inside - there is a large hollow in it. If you climb there this night and sit in the hollow, no one will notice it. And when I go there tomorrow with the judge and he starts asking the tree questions, you answer: “The dinars hidden at my roots were taken by a simple-minded person.”
The father objected to him:
“My son, an intelligent person is wary of such a defense that only brings harm, not to mention deception.” Beware that your cunning does not result in as much harm as once happened because of the gray heron.
He asked:
-What happened because of the heron?
The father said:
“Once upon a time there lived a couple of herons. A snake lived next door to them. She ate all the chicks that were born to them. But the birds, accustomed to this place, found it difficult to part with it. The mother heron was very sad and did not eat or drink. Cancer noticed this and asked:
-You seem upset about something?
And the heron told him about the troubles that the snake was causing them. To this the cancer replied:
- I will give you a means by which you can take revenge on the snake.
- What kind of remedy is this? - asked the heron.
Cancer showed her the hole of affection and said:
“Scatter several fish from this hole to the snake’s nest.” When the weasel comes out to feast on the fish, the snake will crawl out after the fish. This is where the caress will finish her off.
The heron did just that and saved the chicks from the snake’s sting forever.
That’s why I’m telling you,” the father finished, “a smart person plans everything in advance so as not to get into trouble.”
And the cunning one said:
- Father, I heard about it. You and I have nothing to fear.
And the father went, as his son wished, and climbed into the hollow. The next day, a judge arrived at this place and began to ask questions to the tree. And the father spoke from inside:
- The dinars hidden at my roots were taken by a simple-minded person.
This amazed the judge and he said:
- Something is wrong here.
People examined the tree from all sides and found a hollow in it. Seeing him, the judge ordered the hollow to be filled with hay and set on fire. The person inside began to choke on smoke. He cried out in sorrow and then died. The dead man was taken out of there, the cunning one was flogged by order of the judge, and the dinars were given to the simple-minded one.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru