A narrow trail wound through a dense, green forest. Two travelers, Somu and Raghu, were walking along the path. While they had been friends for a long time, Somu was always driven by greed, whereas Raghu was a calm and honest man.
Suddenly, Somu tripped over something soft. He looked down and saw a small, silk pouch lying in the dirt. When he opened it, his eyes widened in shock. It was filled with glittering gold coins! "Raghu, look! We are the luckiest men alive! This gold will change our lives forever! Since I found it, it belongs entirely to me!" Somu shouted with excitement.
Raghu shook his head gently. "Somu, we found this together on this path. It is a shared discovery. We should decide what to do with it as a team," he suggested.
Before Somu could argue, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the trees. "Stop right there! Are you the ones who took the merchant's pouch?" shouted a group of royal guards approaching them. It became clear that the gold belonged to a wealthy merchant who had lost it nearby.
Panic seized Somu. He looked at Raghu with a cunning glint in his eyes. "Raghu, if the guards catch us with this, we will be thrown into prison! Listen, you tell them you found it, and I will say I was just walking with you. That way, you can stay safe!" he whispered desperately.
Raghu realized then that Somu's friendship was only as deep as his greed. "You are trying to use me as a shield for your mistake," Raghu said sadly. He stepped away from the group, leaving Somu to face the consequences of his greed alone. As the guards surrounded them, Somu realized that his attempt to save himself by betraying his friend had only led him into a trap.
Moral
Greed and betrayal lead only to trouble.
