Day Dreamer

Day dreamer worked as a freelance servant, looking for odd jobs around the village. One day, a wealthy man offered to pay him two annas (a currency) to carry ten kilograms of ghee to his home. It was only one mile away. Day Dreamer eagerly agreed. No sooner had he put the pot of ghee on his head and begun his journey, then his thoughts ran free. He fantasied step by step, "This job will fetch me two annas, from which I'll purchase a goat. The goat will give me good milk which will bring more money. Then I'll get myself a fine wife and have children. By that time, I shall have enough money to open a small business. When seated in my shop, my son will come to call me for lunch, but of course, there will be so many customers, and I'll be so busy that I'll have to refuse and say, 'No, not now.'" And Day Dreamer shook his head. As he did so, the pot of ghee dropped to the ground and shattered to pieces. The wealthy man, walking alongside him was furious, ''Oh you careless fool, you've broken my pot!'' ''For you, only your pot has been broken. For me, my home and all my hopes have been shattered,'' Day Dreamer replied with gloom. We too revel in grand fantasies of earning huge wealth, building factories, great successes. But all materialistic thoughts are mere daydreams, everything of this world is false and perishable. Our fantasies are bound to shatter one day.

A Tale from 101 Tales Of Wisdom