The Tale Of Two
Pebbles
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a
farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village
moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s
beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the
farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter.
Both the
farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning
money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them
that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag.
Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
If she picked
the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be
forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her
father’s debt would still be forgiven. If she refused to pick a pebble, her
father would be thrown into jail.