Sheikh Chilli's Tale of Misfortune
One day, Sheikh Chilli was relaxing at home, when his mother said, "Son, you've grown up now. You should start contributing to the household expenses by doing some work." Hearing this, Sheikh Chilli replied, "Mother, what work should I do? I don't possess any skill to earn money." His mother responded, "The reason is that your father is getting old, and he can't work properly anymore. So, you must do something, whatever it may be." Sheikh Chilli said, "If that's the case, I'll try, but first, give me something to eat. I'm very hungry." His mother replied, "Alright, son, I'll prepare something for you."
After eating, Sheikh Chilli went out in search of work. All he could think about was, "Who will give me work? What kind of work can I do?" While pondering these questions, he saw a moneylender walking along the road. The moneylender was carrying a pot of ghee on his head, and he was very tired. He had difficulty walking. When the moneylender noticed Sheikh Chilli, he asked, "Can you carry this pot for me? I'll give you half an anna in return." Sheikh Chilli, being on the lookout for work, readily agreed to carry the pot. The moneylender warned, "You must be careful that the ghee doesn't spill. You'll get the half anna only when you deliver it safely to my house."
The deal was settled, and Sheikh Chilli placed the pot on his head and started walking with the moneylender. As they walked, Sheikh Chilli got lost in thought. He imagined that after delivering the pot, he would get half an anna. With that, he would buy a chick. The chick would grow into a hen, lay eggs, and those eggs would produce more hens. More hens meant more eggs, which he would sell for a lot of money. With the money, he would buy buffaloes and establish a magnificent dairy. He would then trade eggs and milk, and eventually become rich.
Sheikh Chilli's dreams didn't end there. He fantasized about acquiring a beautiful wife, having a dozen children, and everyone showering him with affection. But then he realized that with so many children, they would fight amongst themselves and come to him complaining about each other. He recalled his neighbour's eight children, who were always arguing. He worried about the constant complaints from his own children, and how it would stress him out and make him grumpy.
He imagined his children arguing and coming to him with complaints. He pictured himself sitting on a comfortable couch in his grand room, overwhelmed by their noise and complaints. Sheikh Chilli, in a fit of anger, roared, "Damn it!" He was so engrossed in his fantasy that he forgot about the pot of ghee on his head. In his outburst, he stumbled on a large stone, causing the pot to fall and shatter, spilling the ghee on the ground. The moneylender, furious, beat Sheikh Chilli soundly. All his dreams vanished into thin air.
The moral of this story is: Dreams alone won't bring success; hard work in reality is essential.
