Proper division based on what you gave

Proper  division  based  on  what you gave

BY

P.R.Ramachander

(Based on a folk story that I read in Kumudam Bhakthi.  Thanks  to them)

In a forest two    way farers    were  caught   in a heavy rain,

They ran    and took shelter  in a    forest   temple,

Where   already one   man was    standing  .

And  the torrential rain  went on and on

The  three  of them  felt    very hungry  ,

While one of them had five rotis , the other,

Had three  rotis  but the man   who was ,

Already there   did not have  anything  with him,

The third one suggested , “Let   us make   three  equal,

Pieces  of each roti  and then we will have  ,

Twenty four  equal pieces of rotis  and each of us,

Can take   eight pieces and satiate  our hunger,

They agreed  and did as suggested  and the rain stopped,

And the man who was already there  gave the other two ,

Eight gold  pieces   and left  and then one way farer   ,

Who had three  rotis  told  , “Let us divide the  money equally.”

The other one did not agree   and said, “I had   five  rotis,

And so I should get  five coins.”  And suddenly   they heard ,

A voice   from temple  which said, “Let the  one who  had three  rotis,

Take  one coin   and let the one   who had  five rotis , take seven coins.”

Both of them  believed   that the God  inside  the temple ,

Was giving judgement   but   the man with three  rotis ,

Felt   that it was   greatly unjust, and they  heard the voice again,

‘Count  the number of pieces  of rotis  each of  you gave me ,

And then   you will  find that  i have  given one coin   per one piece.”