The Story of the Two Merchants

Once in a village there were two merchants. 

One of them was called Dharmabuddhi and the other was called Papabuddhi. Papabuddhi convinced Dharmabuddhi to collect all the wealth that the two of them had in the form of gold coins and bury the same in the nearby forest. 

Papabuddhi told Dharmabuddhi that this way their wealth would be safe from thieves. 

Dharmabuddhi agreed to it because it seemed like sound advice. 

That very night after both the merchants had buried their money Papabuddhi came back and he dug his half of the money and took it away. 

The next day Papabuddhi went to Dharmabuddhi and told him that he needed money. 

When the two merchants went to the forest, they found that half of the money was stolen . 

Papabuddhi was annoyed and turned to Dharmabuddhi. “You have stolen my money. Half of what is there in that pot is mine now.”

Dharmabuddhi kept denying what Papabuddhi had alleged and so the matter went to court. 

That day at court, Papabuddhi told the judge that the forest Gods would come down and announce the thief. So the very next day the judges decided to go to the forest and see who the thief was. 

That night Papabuddhi went to his father and admitted to his crime and asked his father to help him. Papbuddhi’s father did not want to do what his son wanted, but out of love for his own son decided to help him. 

Papabuddhi had asked his father to hide inside a hollow tree near the place where the treasure had been hidden. 

The next day when the judges and the two merchants came to the place Papabuddhi bowed to the tree. “Oh spirits, please tell me the truth! Who robbed the money which was hidden here? 

A voice from the tree came clearly, “Dharmabuddhi stole the money.” 

On hearing the voice Dharmabuddhi became suspicious and he poured oil inside the hollow hole and lit a match. 

Papabuddhi's father ran out of the tree before he could be injured. 

The judges knew that it was Papabuddhi who had stolen the money.

Papabuddhi’s money was taken away and given to Dharmabuddhi. 

And Dharmabuddhi learnt not to trust people like Papabuddhi henceforth.

From the Panchatantra