Long ago, there lived a poor farming couple who cleared a small field at the edge of the forest to grow corn. When the corn began to form young ears, monkeys came every day to eat it, forcing the couple to guard the field tirelessly from morning to night.
One day, the wife said that if this continued, the entire cornfield would soon be destroyed, and no amount of guarding could stop such a large troop of monkeys. She suggested harvesting the corn early to avoid wasting it. The husband agreed. They picked the corn, boiling some and roasting the rest, ate until they were full, and then lay down to sleep in the field.
That night, the monkeys returned. Seeing the couple lying completely still, they believed the farmers were dead. The monkeys worked together, lifted the couple, and carried them away to bury them. By morning, the husband and wife woke up at the foot of a mountain, confused and unable to recognize the path back. Then they noticed shining stones glowing bright yellow all around them. When they picked them up, they realized they were solid gold. Overjoyed, they each filled a bag and hurried home. From that day on, they bought land, cattle, and lived in wealth and comfort.
A greedy rich man living nearby noticed how suddenly prosperous the poor couple had become. Curious and jealous, he approached them and asked for their secret. Because they were honest and simple people, they told him everything without hiding a single detail. The rich man went home delighted, already plotting his own plan.
After discussing it with his wife, he bought the very same field and planted corn just as before. When the corn grew, the couple went to the field, picked the ears, cooked them, ate well, and pretended to fall asleep. Soon, the monkeys arrived in large numbers. Thinking the couple was dead, they lifted them and carried them away, passing from tree to tree, across high cliffs and deep streams.
While crossing a stream, the monkeys stopped to decide where to bury them. The leader said they should bury them on Silver Mountain, since the earlier couple had been buried on Gold Mountain. Hearing this, the rich man’s wife could not control her greed and suddenly shouted that they must be buried on Gold Mountain instead. Startled by the human voice, the monkeys dropped them in panic. The greedy couple fell into the abyss and died, while the monkeys fled into the forest.
This story teaches a clear lesson that honesty and contentment bring true reward, while greed leads only to destruction.