Once upon a time there lived a rich man. Anyone who wanted to save anything took it all to him and deposited it for safekeeping. There lived one worker in that city. For fifteen years he worked, without straightening his back; penny by penny—he collected two hundred rubles. The worker thought: “How can I not lose or waste this money while I get ready to see my wife and children!” I’d better take them to that rich man and give them to save.” He took and carried his two hundred rubles.
When the time came, the worker got ready to go home to his family. He goes to the rich man and asks him to return the money. “What money, when did you give it to me?” - the rich man shouted at him. “Get out of here!” The worker begged him for a long time: “Don’t destroy me and my whole family!” We will die of hunger, have mercy, give me my money. It's all in vain. The rich man kicked him out with nothing. A poor man is walking, crying. There lived in that city one very smart and kind woman, she saw this poor man in tears, called him over, and asked: “Why are you crying, unfortunate one?” “I saved up two hundred rubles through hard work, I gave them to save, and now he won’t give me anything, he also beat me and kicked me out.”
The woman taught him: “I’ll go to the rich man and take all sorts of jewelry, as if I wanted to give it to him to save.” As soon as I untie my knot, you go in and ask for your money.
Then she told the servant: “When the rich man gives the money to the poor man, run in and shout: “Go home quickly, the master has returned!”
She collected everything that was valuable to her, tied it in a bundle and took it to the rich man. She came in and said: “My husband is not at home, I’m afraid the robbers would attack me, so I want to give it to you to save.”
As soon as she untied her bundle and showed the rich man what she had, that worker came in and began to ask: “Please give me back the two hundred rubles that I gave you to save.” “Take it, son, what do I need your money for,” says the rich man; he took it out and gave the poor man his money. The rich man thinks: “If I don’t give him the money, the woman won’t trust me and will take so much goodness back.”
The worker took the money and was counting it, when suddenly the woman’s servant ran in and shouted: “Madam, the gentleman has returned, he’s waiting, go home quickly!” “Oh,” says the woman, “I’ll bring it later, but now I have to run home,” and she tied all her jewelry in a bundle again.
The poor man rejoiced, he spread his arms and began to dance, the woman spread her arms and walked in a circle: then the rich man began to dance. “Why are you all dancing?” - says the servant. - The poor man dances that he returned his money, I - that the husband whom I have not seen for a long time has returned. Why are you dancing? - the woman asks the rich man. “And I’m dancing that such a simple woman like you managed to deceive me!” - says the rich man.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru