Once upon a time, there was an elderly man known for his hard work and diligence. His rice fields were fertile and abundant. After tending to his crops, he would venture into the forest to chop wood and make charcoal to sell. Every time he sold the charcoal, he would set aside a small portion of his earnings, and by the time he grew old, he had saved a jar full of silver coins.
Despite having enough wealth and a comfortable life, the old man was often saddened by his son’s laziness. The boy loved to play and waste time. As a child, he had been spoiled by his mother, spending his days flying kites and playing games. Even as he grew older, he only appeared at home for meals, showing no interest in work. The father repeatedly warned and advised his son, reminding him at every meal and before bedtime, yet the son remained unchanged.
One day, the old man fell ill. He called his wife and said, "Before I pass away, I want to see our son earn his own food. I have saved a jar of silver, but I have not told you. I want him to have it, but giving it to him now would only harm him. You must encourage him to work. When he earns a little money with his own hands, then I will give him the jar."
The mother felt sad but worried about her son having to work hard. Secretly, she gave him the savings. The son took the money and went out to play for several days. When only a few coins remained, he returned home and handed them to his father. The old man took the small amount of silver and threw it into the pond. The mother was shocked and upset, while the son looked away calmly.
The old man simply said, "This money was not earned by your own hands." Then he lay down. The mother spoke to her son again: "Your father has lived long and knows much. He cannot be fooled. I will give you a little money. Go out and earn your own living. Only when you have worked and earned can you return. We cannot support you forever."
This time, the mother gave him only a small amount of money. The son set off again, but within a few days, it was all gone. Hungry, he tried asking for food, but no one helped him. Finally, he saw two men working in a rice field, lifting water with baskets. He asked them for a share of their rice, but they replied, "This rice is earned from all the hard work of draining this pond. If you want to eat, you must help us work."
Desperate, the son joined them in the grueling labor. At first, he stumbled and struggled, but eventually, he learned to lift and carry water steadily. When he finally ate, he cried while sitting down, realizing for the first time how much effort it took to earn even a single meal.
After helping drain the pond, he went to the village to find work. One household hired him to grind rice and pound it into flour. After completing a full basket of rice and four mortarfuls of pounded rice, he earned only two bowls of rice. The labor was hard, and the reward small, so he rationed the rice carefully, dividing it into two meals per day. He worked like this for three months, eventually saving ninety bowls of rice, which he sold for a little money to bring home to his father.
By then, winter had arrived, and the old man had grown weaker. One day, as he warmed himself by the fire, the son handed him the money. Without a thought, the father tossed the small coins into the burning fire. Alarmed, the son quickly reached into the flames and rescued the coins. The old man laughed until tears ran down his face and held his son’s hands tightly.
"My child, I am so happy. Now I truly trust you. These coins were earned by your own hard work. Only through effort and struggle can one truly appreciate the value of money."
The father gave him the jar of silver and said, "If you refuse to work, even a hundred jars of silver would not be enough. Now that you know the value of labor, your earnings will always be sufficient. The real wealth that never runs out is your own two hands."