Greed

[Guest guest]

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said,

'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

 

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle

of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a

large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.

 

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They

appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that

were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of

stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms,

they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

 

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

 

The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.'

 

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the

same as the first one.

 

There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which

made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same

long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and

plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, 'I don't understand.'

It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill. You see

they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of

themselves.'