Story 7: The Man Who Wanted Free Advice
In the village lived a man who loved asking for advice.
Not because he wanted to learn.
But because he never intended to follow it.
He would go from house to house asking,
“What should I plant this season?”
“How should I repair my roof?”
“Where should I invest my savings?”
People would speak patiently.
He would nod seriously.
And then… do the exact opposite.
One year, after ignoring every suggestion, his crops failed.
His roof leaked.
His savings disappeared.
Yet the next morning, he stood again under the banyan tree.
“I need advice!” he declared loudly.
The villagers groaned.
The elder listened quietly.
“What kind of advice do you want?” he asked.
“Good advice,” the man replied confidently.
The elder nodded.
“Very well. From today,” he announced,
“we will charge you one coin for every piece of advice.”
The man gasped.
“Charge me? Advice is free!”
The elder smiled gently.
“Yes. Advice is free —
if it is respected.”
The villagers agreed.
The next time the man asked,
“What should I plant?”
Someone replied,
“One coin first.”
Grumbling, he paid.
They advised him wisely.
This time… he followed it.
His crop grew well.
Soon, he stopped asking everyone.
He thought before acting.
And strangely, people began offering advice freely again.
One day, a child asked the elder,
“Why did you charge him?”
The elder replied,
“Because he valued what cost him nothing.”
🌟 Moral
Wisdom is free, but only for those who respect it.
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