The Grocer's Dream

Once upon a time, there lived a proud grocer in the city of Dholakpur. Once he received twelve hens in a lottery. As they were mature, they started giving eggs. Each hen gave three eggs which made it thirty-six eggs in total, the grocer thought. The next day the grocer took the eggs on a cycle to his store in the city.    As he was cycling, he thought that the eggs will be sold, and he will in turn earn a lot of money. The eggs that will be left will be kept to hatch.

On hatching, the chicks will grow into hens and cocks. Hens will give him more eggs and cocks will give him meat, which he would sell in the market. After earning this money, he will buy cows and more cocks. Then he will sell the milk that his cows give him, and his wife would make tasty cheese and butter out of the same. These dairy products, he will sell in the market and keeps some for himself and his family. He will earn a lot of money by selling these. He will buy coats and shirts, a car and a big house for himself with this money. There will be many servants to serve him. There will be one to fan him too as he would talk to his newfound friends in the afternoon. As the servant will become tired and slow down, he would kick him and ask him to speed up. Thinking so, he kicked the cycle. It lost its balance and fell down. The eggs broke and grocer’s daydreams flew away in the air. The grocer regretted making castles in the air.

Moral: Do not count your chickens before they hatch.