God is the Only Giver

          In the city of Rome there lived two blind beggars. They would beg in busy streets of Rome every day. One of’ them used to cry, “God alone can make one happy.” The other would cry on the opposite side of the street with the words, “The king alone can make one happy.’ This they did every day.

          The king out of great curiosity called the second beggar and asked, “Well, do you believe that the king can make you happy?”

          “My lord,” said the beggar, “I believe it from the core of my heart.”

The king was flattered by the speech of the second beggar and gave him a big loaf filled with gold coins. The second beggar left the king with a bow. He felt the loaf very heavy. So he sold it to the first beggar for a paltry sum.

          The first beggar brought out a knife to take a slice of the bread, but great was his surprise and joy when he found a number of gold coins in it. He thanked God for His mercy and gave up his old profession.

Innocence and Sin

          Once a young artist wanted to paint a face. He wanted to make it a living symbol of innocence and joy. He took a jolly child for his model and drew his face. The picture became very beautiful and attractive.

          Long years passed on. The artist had become a grey old man. He took into his head to draw another picture as a contrast to his picture of innocence. He wanted to call it ‘guilt’.

          This time the artist went to a dark and damp dungeon for his model. He found an ugly criminal chained there. He was condemned to death for crime. The artist took him as his model for the second picture. The artist asked the jailor the name of the criminal. To his great surprise he discovered a strange fact.

          The criminal was really the child whose picture the artist had painted at first.