It was a scorching summer afternoon. Somu, a traveling merchant, was crossing a vast, barren wasteland. There were no trees in sight, and the sun beat down mercilessly on the sandy path. After walking for hours, Somu felt exhausted and thirsty.
He spotted a local farmer with a sturdy ox and decided to rent the animal to help him complete his journey. The farmer agreed and walked alongside Somu as they traveled together. As the midday heat reached its peak, Somu could no longer bear the heat. He saw a small patch of shade being cast by the ox and quickly sat down within it to rest.
The ox's owner, who had been walking in the sun, also felt the intense heat. He wanted to sit in the same shade. However, when he approached, Somu blocked him. "I paid to use the ox for transport, but I did not pay for its shadow!" Somu argued stubbornly.
The farmer grew angry. "You rented the animal's strength, not its shade! Move aside!" he shouted. As the two men stood there arguing loudly, the startled ox, frightened by the shouting, broke free and wandered off into the distance. In their greed to claim a small bit of shade, both men lost the ox and were left to suffer in the burning sun.
Moral
Fighting over small advantages often leads to losing everything.
