A Strange Test
In a certain village lived a wealthy man named Kanak. Although he was the richest man in the locality, he never stopped desiring to possess more wealth. In a hundred ways he exploited the people. But Sumati, Kanak's wife, was quite different by nature. She was much pained at her husband's unending greed and she often told him, "Don't forget that you have to suffer the consequences of your doing. Why don't you stop accumulating money?" "It is to prove my superiority over others, my manliness, that I love to grow ever richer," Kanak explained. Days passed. Kanak continued to grow richer. His wife got disgusted reminding him of his sins. At last, she chose to keep quiet. Kanak carried on his dishonest business with equal zeal. A yogi came to live in the meadow on the river bank, close to the village. A man of miracles, he planted a tree which, in course of a few years, began yielding a strange kind of fruit, resembling a mango. When people came to learn about the astonishing quality of the fruit there was a great sensation. The fruit and the tree became to talk of the region. Whoever plucked fruit and ate it standing under the tree, changed into some animal or the other, depending on his nature.
There were only a few who did not change. But as soon as one came a few yards away from the tree, one got back his or her human form. This created a great stir in Kanak's village. Many came to see the miracle. Kanak and Sumati too stood in the crowd, enjoying the fun. With bated breath, everybody saw what happened. It was just fantastic. A retired general who ate a fruit suddenly turned into a tiger. He roared and jumped at the crowd. But as soon as he was beyond the shadow of the tree, he changed into the gentleman that he was. A good-natured teacher changed into a cow. A fellow notorious for his wickedness was seen changing into a cobra. A flatterer turned a dog. A man who was never tired of doling out advice to others changed into a donkey! A moneylender changed into a vulture. But as he began flying, he fell down with a bang and became human again. Thus, there were so many who, according to their inner nature, turned into different animals for brief moments.
Kanak was very much desirous of trying the fruit on himself. But he did not dare to make the experiment lest he should be changed into some despicable animal, making himself a laughing stock for others. However, curiosity got the better of him and he visited the spot at night, accompanied by his wife. They plucked two fruits and ate them. There was no change in Sumati. But Kanak suddenly changed into a ghastly looking ghoul. "I am hungry!" he shrieked out and tried to pounce on Sumati who ran for life. Kanak, of course, became his old human self after pursuing her only for a few yards. But the experience proved too shocking for Sumati to forget it. She refused to come near her husband even when Kanak was his normal self. Kanak met the yogi and told him about this plight. The yogi called Sumati and said, "My daughter, it is a pity that your husband, because of his excessive greed for money, appeared to you as a ghoul. But is it not good that he has now known his own nature? Be kind to him and live with him as of old. He will change." Turning to Kanak, the yogi said, "I have cut down the miracle tree. There is no more fear for you or others to stand exposed in your natures. But must you remain content with being human being only in form and not in nature?" Kanak heard the yogi's admonition with his head hung. He promised to behave better and, indeed, he grew better.
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