Once there was an old lady. She would get up early in the morning and took her bath. She kept her house dean by plastering it with cow dung, and took her meals only after offering food to the Sun God. She lived a happy life. This lady used to collect cow dung from her neighbors house. The neighbors wife was jealous of her. She tethered her cow inside the room so that the old lady could not collect the dung. And as she could not plaster her house with cow-dung, she did not cook her food. She did not even offer food to the idols. She remained on fast throughout the day and slept with empty stomach.
The Sun God appeared before her in her dream. He sold,
Why did not you take your meals? Why did you not offer food
to the Idols? The old lady said politely, My neighbors lady
did not allow me to collect cow-dung from her house. I could
not clean my house. I have no cow of my own. The Sun God
said, I am happy with you because you kept fast on Sunday. I
am pleased with your worship. I shall give you a beautiful
The god disappeared. The old lady opened her eyes. A
beautiful much cow with a calf was there in her courtyard.
She was surprised to see them. She arranged hay and water
for them.
When the neighbors lady saw the cow in the old
ladies house, she became jealous of her. She also noticed
that the cows dung was of gold and not an ordinary dung. She
took the gold dung and replaced it with the ordinary dung of
her cow. She continued the replacing practice for a number
of days. The Sun God noted that the old lady was being
cheated by her neighbor. He caused a storm at sun-set. The
old lady tethered her cow inside her room for its safety.
She was, however, surprised to see that her cow gave her
gold dung instead of an ordinary one. She could see through
her neighbors trick.
The neighbors lady was constantly jealous. She thought
of a plan to deprive her of the wonder cow. She went to the
king and said, My Lord, a poor old lady in our neighborhood
has a divine cow. The cow gives gold dung. It would be
befitting for your graciousness if this cow Is with you. She
keeps it inside her room. No one can have even its glimpse.
The king was a greedy person. He told his courtier, Go
immediately and bring the
The old lady was about to
offer food to the Sun Gods idol when the courtier reached
her house. He untied the rope from peg and took away the
cow. The lady prayed and wept, but all in vain. The old lady
missed her meals that day. She prayed to her God for the
safe return of the cow. She could not sleep at night. The
king on the other hand, was highly pleased to have that
divine cow. That night, he had a dream. The Sun God was
there who said, I offered this cow to the old lady as a
token of my affection for her worship of me. You do not
deserve this cow.
The king woke up. He was badly shaken. He saw that the
entire palace was full of cow dung. There was bad smell all
around. In the morning, the king sent for the old lady with
due honor. He returned the cow to the old lady and also gave
her some wealth. The neighbors lady was suitably punished
which was a cause of relief to all. The king proclaimed
order that all his subjects should observe fast on Sundays
if they wanted their desires to be fulfilled. Now, all his
people were prosperous. Illness never visited them. They
never faced any natural calamity. Everyone enjoyed
happiness.
