Once upon a time, there was a barber in the city of Kabul. His business was going good but he became blind gradually due to illness. So he could not continue his work and started begging for money. Surprisingly he earned more money by begging than when he worked as a barber. He gathered a hundred silver coins over a period of time. He always carried them with him. But soon he realized that it is dangerous if he carries such a huge amount with him as someone may steal it and also nobody would give him money anymore if they knew that he has such a huge amount. So he planned to hide that money in a secret place. The barber used to offer prayer daily and there was a place outside the prayer hall under a water pipe which only he knew. So after his daily prayer, he hid the money in that place and left.
But there was a mistake, he thought that after the prayer was over everyone left but there was one man who saw the barber hiding the money. After the barber left, the man took the money. When the barber came the next day he found that the money is missing. He did not panic, he understood that someone stole the money and he was determined to find the person who did it. He went home, called his youngest son, and told, "My dearest son, from today, accompany me to the prayer hall and observe everyone. If someone laughs at me, find their home and let me know." His son observed for two days and told his father, "I found a guy who was smiling at you while going inside." The barber asked his son to find his name and where he was heading after the prayer. The barber found that the man is a merchant and runs a shop in his area.
He went to the man's shop and told that he needs to speak something in secret. The merchant took him inside and asked what is the matter. The barber said in a mild voice, "I have 200 silver coins, 100 coins I have given to my relatives and 100 coins I kept at a safe place. Since I cannot store the money officially as people will ask for documents, so I am planning to invest in your business. You can buy any goods and do business, and give me a part of the profit. If you are fine I will give 200 coins tomorrow." Hearing this the merchant became greedy and thought if I keep a hundred coins back, then this barber will give me all the money together. I can later say that I did not receive any money from the barber as nobody is going to believe that such a huge amount could be present with a poor old man.
With this evil thought, he kept the money back at the same place. The barber silently took the money and never went back to the merchant. When the merchant himself approached the barber and asked him about the money, he said, "My relatives cheated me saying that they don't owe me any money and some thief stole the other part of the money. Luck does not seem to be on my side" with a sad face.
The merchant could not say anything and left the place grumpily. The barber and his son had the last laugh.
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