In ancient times, two farmers named Jack and Harry lived in a small village. They owned two large farms and many cows, but they never worked. They would hire other farmers to work in the two farms. They lived in two large houses and wore the most expensive clothes. Despite this, they weren’t happy. One said to the other: I will hire more farmers to increase my wealth. The other said: Agreed, until we buy silk clothes.
In the same village, several houses away, lived the poor farmer Thomas who had one cow and a small piece of land. A man came to him and said: There is a man selling his cow in the village. Will you buy it? He said to him: I wish, but I don’t have enough money. The man said: I will lend you some money. He said: This is great generosity from you, but even if I buy it, how will I feed it? I don’t have enough to feed two cows together, and I cannot take your money every day. The two cows will double. Thank you very much, my friend, but I am completely satisfied with my condition.
Thomas was wise and diligent. He would go daily to the field to work all day, then return to his home and feed his cow. Thomas wasn’t greedy for anything and was satisfied with everything he had, always feeling happiness, unlike Jack and Harry, who envied Thomas because he always felt happy. The cause couldn’t be his land or his house, for they were small. Jack said: It’s the cow. His cow is indeed better than all our cows together. His cow plows the entire field. I have an idea—let’s buy the cow. The next day, they went to Thomas and asked him to buy his cow.
They told him they would pay him double the price so he could buy another one instead. He said to them: What are you saying? I have a healthy cow and I care for her well. How can I sell her to buy two, and I won’t be able to care for them both? I won’t sell my cow. Jack and Harry felt anger and left immediately, saying they would force him to sell it to them. Jack and Harry wanted to teach Thomas a lesson, so they snuck out of their house at night and headed to his farm. Without any regard for their friend, they set fire to it. In the morning, Thomas woke up and learned of the fire. He hurried to find his crop destroyed. Days passed, and all his food stores were exhausted. Nothing remained for him or his cow to eat.
Jack said: He is forced to sell it now, and whoever buys it will care for it. Thomas was saving his money in a small glass jar, and not much remained. Because he didn’t know when he would return again, he put it all in a pouch and left the village. On his way in the forest, he realized his money wasn’t safe in his pocket. Thomas tied the pouch to the cow’s bell and continued walking. After a while, he passed by a village and decided to rest a little.
He left his cow in the shade and went away to search for water to drink. Beside the cow was a grain store. The owner came out to take a walk. He saw the cow standing under the tree, approached her, and as soon as she turned her head to him, a silver coin fell from her. He decided to approach and verify it. As soon as he approached, another coin fell from her neck. He said: This is a magic cow. He didn’t notice the merchant’s pouch of coins in the bell and decided to buy it immediately.
Then Thomas came to him and said he wanted to buy it. He said to him: I will pay you 500 silver coins. Thomas was surprised and accepted the offer, took the money, and left immediately, forgetting the matter of the pouch of coins tied to the cow’s bell. He headed to his home happy. As soon as he arrived, he found Jack and Harry watching him at the door. They thought Thomas would return sad, but they found a big smile on his face. He said: I sold my cow for 500 silver coins. I will buy larger land, plant more crops, buy cows, and I will be able to care for them. My cow brought me luck. On the other hand, the merchant found the pouch of coins in the bell and realized it wasn’t a magic cow, but there was nothing he could do.