The Foolish Boy

Madhav was a poor, but hard working carpenter. He lived in a village near the kingdom of Rajgriha. He had a habit of singing while he worked. He had a son named KIshan.

One day, Madhav was working in his workshop. He was sawing a log of wood to make some furniture for the village headman. He was in a happy mood and was singing as he worked. He had no hair on his head. The sun was shining and so was his baldhead. A fly buzzed around him and sat on his head frequently. The fly made him feel irritated.

Just then, his son, Kishan came to him. Kishan liked listening to his father's songs. He also loved watching him at his work. He wanted to help his father. He asked him if there was anything that he could do.

Madhav told him to sharpen an axe that was lying nearby. Kishan picked up the axe and began to sharpen it. He watched his father as he sharpen it. He watched his father as he sharpened the axe. His father was sawing the wood and at the same time humming a beautiful tone. Kishan loved his father in such cheerful moods. He noticed that a fly was disturbing his father again and again. It came and sat on his father's nose. His father drove it away, but it came back immediately. His father was becoming irritated by the fly. Kishan thought of teaching the fly a lesson. He said to his father, "Father, if you permit me, I will drive the fly away forever." Madhav said, "Yes please drive it away. It is really causing hindrance in my work."

Kishan thought, "If I strike the fly with the axe, it will die. Then it won't disturb father." So he picked up the sharpened axe and went and stood behind his father. His father had no knowledge of his son's intention. He went on doing his work.

As soon as the fly came and sat on Madhav's head, Kishan took the axe and struck it hard on his father's head. However, the fly flew away and the sharp axe hit his father's head. A deep cut was inflicted on his father's head. Blood oozed out of the cut. Kishan was horrified. It was his foolish action that had wounded his father. He started crying and ran home to call his mother. The mother took Madhav to the doctor. The wound was deep and dangerous. It took months to heal. For months, Madhav could not do any work. Kishan could never pardon himself for his foolish action.