Gooffa The Fool
Once upon a time in a small hamlet, there lived a widow and her son, Gooffa. So poor were they that one day they had nothing to eat except a few crumbs of bread. But Gooffa was not only lazy but also foolish. "Gooffa dear, go and try to sell this hat for a good price," said his mother. "But mind you, don't deal with either a chatterbox or a dumb fellow." The lad at once set out with a tune on his lips. "It's a fine hat you have with you," the stranger observed inspecting it. "Will you give it to me? I'll pay you a good amount of money." "No, I shan't sell it to you. You talk too much," replied the boy, and walked away. Then he came across a washerman and showed him his ware. "It's indeed a handsome hat. How much do you want for it?" he asked. "Ten silver pieces." "That's too much! Could you please lower the price?" enquired the washerman. "No! No! You don't deserve to have this hat. You look to be a rather talkative fellow," replied Gooffa and went on his way. All the passers-by he came across struck him as too talkative and he refused to sell his hat to anyone of them. Thus, meandering here and there he reached the crossroads where stood a stone statue. Going up to him he asked, "Sir, would you like to buy this hat?" He received no reply.
"By following my mother's advice, I have not been able to sell the hat so far. If I continue to follow her instructions, I cannot sell this hat at all. Let me try to sell it to this fellow even if he is dumb," decided Gooffa. "This is a fine hat and costs only ten silver pieces," he said but his prospective customer remained silent! "At last! I've found someone who doesn't speak a single word! You're to my mind the most deserving person for this hat and I'm going to sell it to you," said Gooffa placing the hat on the statue's head spread his palm for payment. Seeing no reaction on the buyer's face he added sympathetically, "You must be unwell. Don't worry if you can't pay me now. I'll come back for the money tomorrow." And he briskly walked homewards, happy for the success of his mission. "How much did you get for the hat?" asked his anxious mother. "Mother, the buyer seemed to be unwell today. I'm going to collect the money tomorrow," replied Gooffa. The next day Gooffa once again went to the crossroads. His silent customer stood where he was but the hat had clean disappeared. "Now, will you please pay me the ten silver pieces?" he demanded. But as before he received no reply. After several earnest efforts to extract his money, he lost patience and angrily picking up a staff launched a solid blow on the statue's face. Off fell the head on the ground and along with it fell down a small bag that was lodged inside. Gooffa picked up the bag and untied its strings, and there sparkled in the sunlight a handful of silver pieces.