Once upon a time, there was a smart child who loved helping others, named Alaa. While he was walking with his friends one day, he met his stingy neighbor who called out to him. But his friends advised him not to pay attention to that stingy man’s call.
Alaa knew the faults of the stingy man, but he stood thinking about what he would do with him. One of his friends said: Don’t pay attention to this man’s matter, Alaa. Have you forgotten what he did to our friend Ahmed when he tricked him and took his money until he completed his purchases?
Alaa answered his friend, saying: Yes, I know that, and therefore I must teach this man a lesson he won’t forget throughout his life. Alaa went to the man, saying: Yes, my uncle. The man said to him with malice: Take this dinar, my son, and bring food for me and for my little sheep that I’m raising in my house garden, and you must remember to bring something to entertain yourself with at home.
Alaa took the dinar, not believing what he was hearing. He was struck with amazement, just as his friends were amazed at that man’s condition. Then a clever idea occurred to Alaa’s mind. Alaa smiled and went with one of his friends to the market to execute his cunning plan.
Alaa bought a red watermelon for only half a dinar, then put the other half dinar in his pocket, then returned to his stingy neighbor to complete executing his plan. When he reached the neighbor, he said to him smiling: Here is the food you requested from me.
The man started moving his lips to speak, but Alaa completed his speech before the man spoke, where he said to him: I thought for a long time about what I would bring for you and for your little sheep until I reached buying this beautiful watermelon. Look at it, it’s red and beautiful.
The man was amazed. Alaa completed his speech: You can eat from this watermelon, then throw the peel to your sheep. You can also wash the seeds inside it, then fry them and enjoy eating them during the night. The stingy man was amazed at this child’s intelligence.
The stingy man took the watermelon without speaking, then was about to walk, but Alaa stopped him and gave him the half dinar that remained with him, then said to him: It’s better not to use your intelligence in tricking people and taking their money from them. You should use this intelligence in what is useful.