One day a poor mountaineer was returning from the market. The road went through a dense forest. It got dark imperceptibly, and the traveler quickened his pace.
Suddenly he heard cries for help. Soon the poor man came to a deep hole, from where shouts were heard:
- Help, help me!
The poor man recognized the rich man from the village and asked:
- How can I help you?
- Cut down a long pole and throw it into the hole. “I’ll get out of it,” the rich man advised.
The poor man quickly cut down the pole and threw it into the hole. At this time a large wolf crawled out of the hole.
- Thank you, good man. “I will try to thank you,” said the wolf and disappeared into the forest.
- Why are you dawdling there, unfortunate one! - the rich man shouted. - Throw the pole quickly.
“I already threw it, get out,” said the poor man.
Meanwhile, the fox climbed out of the hole, thanked the man and ran away into the forest.
- Oh Allah, don’t you really want to help me! - the rich man shouted and began to shower curses on the poor man.
- But I threw the pole! - the poor man was indignant. - Get out quickly.
This time a snake crawled out of the hole, thanked the poor man and crawled away into the forest.
Finally, the poor man with difficulty pulled the fat rich man out of the hole.
“I’ll thank you later,” said the rich man and left. The next morning the poor man woke up and saw what was lying in the yard
a pile of firewood and a large skein of wool.
-Where does all this come from? - he asked his wife.
“The wolf brought the firewood, the fox brought the wool, and the snake brought a large pearl.”
The poor man took the pearl and went to the market to sell it. Before he had time to pull out the jewel, a crowd surrounded him. Everyone began to praise the pearl.
Suddenly the aul foreman ran up and shouted:
-Where did you get this pearl? No other way than you stole it. Give it to me immediately.
The poor man said that the pearl was brought to him by a snake, which he helped crawl out of the hole.
- Lie, but know when to stop. How can a snake bring pearls? - the foreman shouted and took the pearl from the poor man.
Suddenly the poor man saw the rich man he had saved in the crowd.
“Help me, good man, tell the foreman that I pulled you out of the hole.” Is it true that there was a snake there too?
- Get away, thief and shameless! - the rich man shouted. “I don’t even know you.”
So the animals turned out to be more grateful than the rich man.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru