In a village lived a poor man named Gopal. Gopal was lazy and never wanted to work at all. Every day he would go from house to house, begging for food and eat it. One day, there was a special celebration at one of the houses, and the owner of the house gave Gopal a sack filled with wheat flour.

“I have wheat. Let me use a little to cook dinner. The rest I will leave it in the pot and hang it from the ceiling to safeguard it from the rats,” thought Gopal.

After having his dinner, Gopal went to bed planning his future.

“I have almost a whole pot of wheat flour. I can sell this wheat and buy a goat. I will sell the goat’s milk and get some more money. Using that money, I will buy some cows and begin selling milk, butter and cheese. Then the cows will give birth to many calves, and I will be the biggest milk seller in the village. After a few months, I will have enough money to buy property and gold.”

Gopal continued dreaming, “I will become more prosperous than the king. I will get married to the woman of my choice and have many kids. I will regularly play with my kids. But the kids will be so naughty I will have to punish them frequently.”

Still dreaming, Gopal took a long rod and began hitting it across the room, thinking he was punishing his kids. Unfortunately, the rod hit the pot containing the wheat flour and broke it.

Hearing the noise of the broken pot, Gopal woke up with a start from his fantasy and saw the whole pot of wheat flour on the floor. He went back to bed disappointed for he had lost whatever food he was left with.

Gopal learnt a lesson and from that day on, he started working hard and slowly became successful.

Author’s Note:

All Panchatantra Stories have Morals associated with them.

Do not build castles in the air. We must always work hard to make our dreams come true. We should not lazily sit and make plans that have no possibility of success.