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Once, a young man undertook travel by foot to another Town on some business. On the way he met an old man. This old man joined the traveler. As they walked together, the old man saw a tree and stopped. The young man asked him, "Sir! Is the tree speaking to you?" The old man said, "It seems that there is a big honeycomb on that tree, which appears to be a burden to it. Why don't you help the tree by climbing and removing the honeycomb?" The young man at once excused himself, "I am on a visit to another Town on some urgent work. Why don't you help the tree?"

A third man who had been listening to this dialogue between the two came up to the old man and said, "I will relieve the tree of its burden."

The old man gave his consent and continued on his way.

Within a few moment the man who had offered to relieve the tree of its burden came running up to the old man and exclaimed, "Sir! Please listen to what I have to say! I removed the honeycomb from the tree with the thought of relieving the tree of its burden, as requested by you. It contains plenty of tasty and special kind of honey. If I sell this in the market I will earn a lot of money. You have done a good turn to me who desired to help you. Please accept my gratitude."

That old man and the young traveler went ahead with their journey. After covering some distance the old man said, "I am feeling tired. Can't we rest a while?" and both lay down below a tree.
The old man put his ear to the ground and seemed to listen to something.
The young traveler asked, "What is it, Sir? Does this tree also talk?"
The old man explained, "I am now talking with the ants."
The young traveler said, "Oh! What do the ants say?"
The old man said, "The ants have been digging a hole in the earth to live. It seems something is blocking their way. They are not able to dig further. The ants are seeking help."
The old man further said, "Son! You are young. Why don't you help these helpless ants?"
The young traveler once again offered the same excuse, "I am going on some urgent work. I cannot stop to help. Come, let us continue with our journey."
The young traveler got ready to continue his journey.

A man who had been listening to their conversation, deciding to help the ants, dug the earth and found a stone blocking the way and below it a gold vessel filled with gold coins. He came running up to the old man who was walking with the young traveler and said, "Sir! When you left the place I thought of helping the poor ants. So, I dug the earth only to find a stone and below it a treasure. For one who had been suffering from poverty this is a great blessing, indeed!" He fell at the old man's feet in gratitude.

As the two continued on their way they came across a river. This river could be crossed only by a boat. As they were crossing the river in a boat they found a fish jumping about in the water. Looking at it the young traveler asked the old man, "Sir! Are you now talking with the fish?" The old man said, "Yes! A thorn has pricked its mouth. It is requesting us to remove the thorn. Will you do it?" Once again the young traveler offered same excuse, "I am on some urgent work. I cannot do it. Come let us continue with our journey." Speaking thus, the young traveler got down from the boat and they continued their way to the next village.

The boatman who had heard their talk decided to help the fish. He caught the fish and removed the thorn from its mouth. As he did so he found a gem in its mouth. Rowing the boat to the shore he rushed to the old man and fell at his feet. "Sir! When I desired to help the fish and removed the thorn I found a costly gem in its mouth. Please accept my gratitude!"

The old man stopped after walking a while. The old man said to the young traveler, "This rock is talking to me. It is uncomfortable in this place and requests to be moved a little away." The young traveler thought, 'I have been refusing all the work that he has been requesting me to do. But, someone else carried out the work and attained great benefit. I must now carry out the work requested by the old man. It is all right even if my work gets delayed a little. I must somehow receive the benefit accruing from this act.' Thinking on these lines the young traveler, gathering all his strength, moved that rock to another place.

But there was no gem or treasure there. He did not reap any benefit. He, at once, asked the old man, "The others reaped benefit by performing the work as requested by you. Why have I not reaped any benefit? Have I not rendered help to this stone?" The old man explained, "The others performed the work with the only intention of rendering help and without seeking any benefit out of it. Therefore, they benefited. But you performed this act only with the expectation of some return. You have, therefore, not reaped any benefit."

From this, don't you understand that we should render help without expecting anything in return!

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