A long time ago, a poor couple named Mr. Lam and his wife worked tirelessly to support their five young children. No matter how early they woke up or how late they stayed in the fields, their income was never enough. When a devastating drought struck the region, famine spread everywhere and jobs disappeared. With no food left in the house, Mr. Lam took his hoe into the forest, desperate to find wild yams to keep his children alive. But after digging for hours under the burning sun, he found nothing. Exhaustion and fear overwhelmed him. Thinking about his starving children, he sat down and cried helplessly.
At that moment, a kindly heavenly old man appeared out of the forest light. He asked why Mr. Lam was crying, and Mr. Lam explained his troubles, telling him how he and his wife had sacrificed everything for their children, how they had endured hunger for months, and how he could no longer find anything to feed them. Feeling sympathy, the old man handed him a small clay jar and said that the jar could produce money. All Mr. Lam had to do was speak his request three times and then tip the jar over. The old man strictly warned him not to reveal this secret to anyone, and then he disappeared as quietly as he came.
When Mr. Lam returned home and tried the jar, silver coins poured out exactly as he had asked. For the first time in months, the family had rice to eat and clothes to wear. Their home, once filled with worry, became warm and lively again. But children are innocent and careless. Despite Mr. Lam’s warnings, they accidentally mentioned the magical jar to a nosy neighbor. That neighbor secretly dug a hole in the wall and watched the family use the jar. The moment he saw the coins fall out, greed consumed him, and he rushed to report it to the local magistrate.
Later that day, the magistrate arrived with soldiers, demanding to see the jar. Mr. Lam had no choice but to hand it over. When the magistrate saw money roll out of the jar, his eyes lit up with greed. He accused Mr. Lam of using forbidden magic and seized the jar under the name of “investigation,” planning to keep it for himself. Losing the jar left Mr. Lam heartbroken and powerless. With no one else to turn to, he walked back into the forest to find the heavenly old man.
Moved by Mr. Lam’s honesty and pain, the old man gave him another magical object: a small stone. He explained that when Mr. Lam approached the magistrate and said, “Magic stone, carry out justice,” the stone would act. And once the jar was returned, Mr. Lam only had to say, “Enough,” to stop it. Mr. Lam thanked the old man and returned home. He and his wife pretended to whisper about a new treasure, making sure the same neighbor overheard. As expected, the neighbor reported it, and the magistrate once again marched to Mr. Lam’s home.
When the magistrate demanded the “new treasure,” Mr. Lam calmly held up the stone and said, “Magic stone, carry out justice.” Instantly, the stone sprang to life, shooting into the magistrate’s face with sharp, stunning blows. The magistrate screamed and ran, but the stone bounced after him relentlessly. Soldiers tried to stop it but were struck down one by one. The once-arrogant magistrate was reduced to begging, promising he would return the jar.
Finally, when Mr. Lam said, “Enough,” the stone dropped into his hand, quiet and harmless. The magistrate returned the magical jar with a bruised face and trembling hands. Even the neighbor, terrified by what he had witnessed, came to apologize. With the jar back and justice restored, Mr. Lam’s family finally lived in peace, safety, and lasting happiness.