akabar aur beerabal ne vesh badala aur soophiyon ka baana pahanakar nikal pade. kuchh hee der baad ve baajaar mein khade the. phir donon ek dukaan mein ghus gae. beerabal ne dukaanadaar se kaha, ‘‘hamen bachchon kee padhaee ke lie madarasa banaana hai, tum hamen isake lie hajaar rupaye de do.’’ jab dukaanadaar ne apane muneem se kaha ki inhen ek hajaar rupaye de do to beerabal bola, jab main tumase rupaye le raha hoonga to tumhaare sir par joota maaroonga. har ek rupaye ke peechhe ek joota padega. bolo, taiyaar ho ?’’

yah sunate hee dukaanadaar ke naukar ka paara chadh gaya aur vah beerabal se do-do haath karane aage badh aaya. lekin dukaanadaar ne naukar ko shaant karate hue kaha, ‘‘main taiyaar hoon, lekin meree ek shart hai. mujhe vishvaas dilaana hoga ki mera paisa isee nek kaam par kharch hoga.’’

aisa kahate hue dukaanadaar ne sir jhuka diya aur beerabal se bola ki joota maarana shuroo karen. tab beerabal va akabar bina kuchh kahe-sune dukaan se baahar nikal aae.

donon chupachaap chale ja rahe the ki tabhee beerabal ne maun toda, ‘‘bandaaparavar ! dukaan mein jo kuchh hua usaka matalab hai ki dukaanadaar ke paas aaj paisa hai aur us paise ko nek kaamon mein lagaane kee neeyat bhee, jo use aane vaale kal (bhavishy) mein naam degee. isaka ek matalab yah bhee hai ki apane nek kaamon se vah jannat mein apanee jagah pakkee kar lega. aap ise yoon bhee kah sakate hain ki jo kuchh usake paas aaj hai, kal bhee usake saath hoga. yah aapake pahale savaal ka javaab hai.’’

phir ve chalate hue ek bhikhaaree ke paas pahunche. unhonne dekha ki ek aadamee use kuchh khaane ko de raha hai aur vah khaane ka saamaan us bhikhaaree kee jaroorat se kaheen jyaada hai. tab beerabal us bhikhaaree se bola, ‘‘ham bhookhe hain, kuchh hamen bhee de do khaane ko.’’