Now is the best time...

[Guest guest]

There was once a man who was very rich and very miserly at the same

time. The villagers disliked him intensely. One day he said to

them, " Either you're jealous of me or you don't understand my love of

money-God alone knows. But you dislike me; that much I know. When I

die, I won't take anything with me. I will leave it all for others. I

will make a will, and I will give everything to charity. Then

everyone will be happy. "

 

Even then people mocked and laughed at him. The rich man said to

them, " What is the matter with you? Can't you wait a few years to see

my money go to charity? "

 

The villagers didn't believe him. He said, " Do you think I'm

immortal? I'll die like everyone else, and then my money will go to

charities. " He couldn't understand why they didn't believe him.

 

One day he went for a walk. All of a sudden it started raining

heavily, so he took shelter under a tree. Under this tree he saw a

pig and a cow. The pig and the cow entered into conversation, and the

man overheard what they were saying.

 

The pig said to the cow, " How is it that everybody appreciates you

and nobody appreciates me? When I die, I provide people with bacon,

ham and sausage. People can also use my bristles. I give three or

four things, whereas you give only one thing: milk. Why do people

appreciate you all the time and not me? "

 

The cow said to the pig, " Look, I give them milk while I'm alive.

They see that I am generous with what I have. But you don't give them

anything while you're alive. Only after you're dead do you give ham,

bacon and so forth. People don't believe in the future; they believe

in the present. If you give while you are alive, people will

appreciate you. It is quite simple. "

 

From that moment on, the rich man gave all he had to the poor.