Give and Take Policy

The mangoes were fully ripened, ready to fall down on the ground and offer their gratitude to mother Earth. There was one particular tree, which was gifted by God. It could understand the human language. Other trees always used to admire the gifted tree as it used to give them timely advice as to when to consume food and when to ripen and give the produce to its caretaker, I.e, the farmer, Mr. Lionel. All the trees were happy with the gifted tree's advice.

One day, it so happened that the neighborhood farmer, Mr. Richards, got jealous of the gifted tree's mango farm and thought of a plan. Gifted tree got to know of this plan and alerted the mango trees in its farm.

The next day was the day of harvesting mangoes. Both the farmers started their work early in the morning. Farmer of gifted tree, Mr. Lionel, offered his prayers to mother Earth and started his work. The neighborhood farmer, Mr Richards, didn't want to waste his time in prayers, he just started off and was well ahead of his friend. He completed his job of harvesting the mangoes in his farm and was ready with his carton boxes. He took pride in showing off his boxes to Mr. Lionel, who paid no heed to him.

Mr. Lionel got ready with his boxes and was waiting for the fruits vehicle. As it didn't turn up, Mr Richards, as planned, offered his help to pick up the carton boxes filled with mangoes to the city. Mr. Lionel didn't have any option now. Unaware of his greedy plans, he nodded a yes, seeing which Mr. Richards loaded all his carton boxes into his van and left for city.

On reaching there, he exchanged the topmost mangoes of his carton box with that of Mr. Lionel's box of mangoes. He was sure about his sale of mangoes to shoot up as Mr. Lionel's farm's mangoes were sweeter than his own farm's. He had replaced his farm's mangoes onto Mr Lionel's carton boxes neatly. Mr. Richards got the shock of his life when he saw Mr Lionel rushing towards him with a huff and puff. He was worried where Mr Lionel would have got to know about his plan of replacement of mangoes.

Mr Richards just pretended not to have seen Mr Lionel and got busy unloading the carton boxes. Mr Lionel patted his back and informed him that while loading his vehicle, Mr Richards had forgotten to load few of the boxes and hence he had gotten them in another vehicle. Mr. Richards in order to ward him off, told him to place it next to his set of carton boxes, which he did without even doubting him.

People started gathering around the fruits market. Mr. Richards proudly opened the carton boxes for the customers and had cut a few mangoes too. However, Mr. Lionel just kept the boxes open.

People walked past Mr. Richards toward Mr. Lionel. Mr. Richards smiled greedily at Mr. Lionel who was busy arranging the mangoes. Crowd started gathering more towards Mr Richards now on seeing which Mr Lionel became happy, at last, business for Mr Richards, he thought.

Mr Lionel got busy in selling the mangoes at a nominal price than that of Mr Richards. In contrast, Mr. Richards, got very happy on seeing the crowd and slowly changed the price tag. People would gather near him, pick up the mangoes, but would keep it back. Some would even go to the extent of smelling it, and he would give them a bag to put it in, but they would give the bag back to Mr Richards, and used to walk off towards Mr Lionel.

Mr Richards got confused because he was very sure of having replaced the mangoes by that of Mr. Lionel's, still no one would buy them from him, rather Mr Lionel's stocks almost got over, and Mr Richards thought it was his farm's mangoes which were not as sweet as Mr Lionel's farm. Alas, he could have told that to Mr Lionel, but he couldn't. Deeply upset by his blunder, he sat back on his chair.

Mr Lionel was happy that all the stock was sold out and he wanted to thank Mr Richards and with all the profit in his pocket, he marched towards him.

Mr Lionel was astonished to see Mr Richards and the entire stock of mangoes lying just like that. He went near him and shook him up. Mr Richards explained to him that though his yield was good this time, no body bought it despite the cut mangoes, which he had kept it for display and for taste. Mr. Lionel took the cut mangoes and showed it to Mr Richards, who was totally devastated at the sight of the cut mangoes. When he had cut it open, it was golden yellow color and now there were worms oozing out from the fruit, which was evident as to why no one bought the mangoes from him. Mr. Richards was tight lipped because he knew that those mangoes belonged to Mr Lionel's and the ones, which were sold by Mr Lionel, was from his farm. He cursed himself for having done that.

Mr Lionel could not see Mr Richards disappointed face. He told him that because he had carried all his stock of mangoes, he could sell them and gain profit. He offered to buy the mangoes and paid him a nominal amount, upon receiving which Mr Richards was happy. Both of them travelled back home together and when they reached the farm, a gush of wind welcomed them, which was from the gifted tree. Mr Lionel slept nicely that night in contrast to Mr Richards who dreamt about the blunder committed by him in exchanging the mangoes and later how a tree had made his farm mangoes, which was in Mr Lionel's possession, more sweeter and aromatic than Mr Lionel's farm's. He also saw that the tree had prayed to mother Earth to provide justice to Mr Lionel upon hearing which, the mother Earth had sent the earthworms magically into the cut fruits and had made all the mangoes give out a stench. 

Mr Richards woke up the next morning with a jerk and without wasting any time, barged into Mr Lionel and hugged him tightly and fell on his feet. Ignorant of all this, Lionel picked him up and made him sit under the gifted tree. The tree blew the gush of wind filled with aroma hinting that the mother Earth had pardoned him of his sin.

Nature knows to give, but at the same time, it also knows to........