Once upon a time, there was a wise farmer who lived in a small village. He had a large field where he grew various crops. He worked hard and was happy with his simple life.
One day, a greedy merchant came to his village. He saw the farmer’s field and was impressed by the quality and quantity of his crops. He decided to buy the farmer’s field and make a huge profit by selling the crops in the city.
He approached the farmer and said, “Hello, my friend. I am a merchant from the city and I have come to offer you a great deal. I want to buy your field and all the crops in it. I will pay you 100 gold coins for it. What do you say?”
The farmer was surprised by the offer. He knew that his field and crops were worth much more than 100 gold coins. He also loved his field and did not want to sell it. But he did not want to offend the merchant, so he said, “Thank you for your offer, but I am not interested in selling my field.”
The merchant was not happy with the farmer’s answer. He thought that the farmer was foolish and did not know the value of his field. He decided to trick the farmer and make him sell his field for a low price.
He said, “I see that you are attached to your field, but let me tell you something. Your field is not as good as you think. It is full of weeds and pests that will ruin your crops. You will not be able to harvest anything from it. You are wasting your time and energy on this field. You should sell it to me and use the money to buy a better field somewhere else.”
The farmer smiled and said, “You are mistaken, my friend. My field is not full of weeds and pests. It is full of flowers and fruits that will make me rich and happy. I take good care of my field and it rewards me with abundant crops. I do not need to buy a better field somewhere else, because I already have the best field here.”
The merchant was annoyed by the farmer’s confidence. He thought that the farmer was lying and hiding something from him. He decided to challenge the farmer and prove him wrong.
He said, “If you are so sure about your field, then let us make a bet. Tomorrow morning, we will both go to your field and pick one crop each. Whoever picks the better crop will win the bet. If I win, you will sell me your field for 100 gold coins. If you win, I will give you 200 gold coins as a reward for your honesty. Do you agree?”
The farmer agreed to the bet. He knew that his crops were better than any other crops in the village. He was confident that he would win the bet and get 200 gold coins from the merchant.
The next morning, they both went to the farmer’s field. The merchant looked around and saw many crops growing in the field. He saw wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cotton, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and more.
He thought to himself, “This farmer is indeed clever. He has grown so many different crops in his field. He must have some secret technique or magic that makes his crops grow so well. I must find out his secret and use it for myself.”
He decided to pick the most expensive crop in the field. He saw a bunch of grapes hanging from a vine. The grapes were big, juicy, and sweet. They looked like pearls shining in the sun.
He thought to himself, “These grapes are perfect for me. They are rare and valuable in the city. I can sell them for a high price and make a fortune.”
He reached out his hand and plucked the bunch of grapes from the vine.
The farmer watched him quietly. He did not say anything.
Then he looked around his field and saw many crops growing in it.
He thought to himself, “This merchant is indeed greedy. He has picked the most expensive crop in my field without thinking about anything else. He does not care about quality or quantity or variety or taste or nutrition or beauty or happiness or anything else that matters in life.”
He decided to pick the most humble crop in his field.
He saw a small patch of grass growing near a fence.
The grass was green, soft, and fresh.
It looked like a carpet covering the earth.
He thought to himself,
"This grass is perfect for me.
It is simple and common in the village.
But it is also useful and important for life.
It feeds my cows and goats who give me milk and cheese.
It also feeds my chickens who give me eggs.
It also feeds my family who eat bread made from wheat grown with grass as fertilizer.
It also makes me happy when I see it swaying in the wind.
It also makes me grateful when I remember that God has given me everything I need."
He bent down and picked a handful of grass from the patch.
The merchant saw him and laughed.
He said, “You are a fool, my friend. You have picked the worst crop in your field. It is worthless and useless. You have wasted your chance to win the bet. You have lost your field and your crops to me. Here, take these 100 gold coins and give me the deed to your field.”
The farmer smiled and said, “You are mistaken, my friend. I have picked the best crop in my field. It is priceless and precious. I have used my chance to win the bet wisely. I have kept my field and my crops for myself. Here, take these 200 gold coins and go back to your city. And remember this lesson: The value of a crop is not measured by its price, but by its purpose.”
The merchant was speechless.
He realized that he had been outsmarted by the farmer.
He felt ashamed and embarrassed.
He took the 200 gold coins and left the village.
The farmer was happy.
He thanked God for his blessings.
He continued to work hard and enjoy his simple life.
He also shared his story with his neighbors and friends.
They all praised him for his wisdom and honesty.
They all learned from his example and became better farmers and better people.
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