Seribanija Jataka | Moral story for kids

 In ancient time during the reign of Brahmadatta there was a town Andhapura by name. There lived two hawkers. One was Seriban and Seriba the other. They decided on which way they were to hawk. If oney

Only two of family members were alive. One of them was a girl and old grand mother the other. They lived a very poor life.

In good days of solvency the chief of the family took his meal on a plate of gold. But the plate became dirty being unused for many days. It seemed to be not a plate of gold. The hawker Seriba was greedy and sly as well. One day he was passing by the house of that wealthy merchant family. ‘Buy a jar’-he shouted. On hearing the shouting the girl said, ‘Grandmother, please buy me a jar.’

The grandmother said, ‘Oh my darling, we are poor, where shall we get money from?’

The girl gave the golden plate to her. She said, ‘This plate is of no use for us’. The grandmother called on the hawker Seriba. She asked him to sit on and gave him the plate. She said, ‘Give something to my grand daughter instead of it. ‘The hawker Seriba over turned the plate for one and two times. On observation he could realise that the plate was made of gold. An evil thought grew in his mind. He thought how to take the plate deceiving the two. He said, ‘Not a quarter of pice be given instead of it.’

Seriba put the plate into the ground with negligence and went away. Within a short time the hawker Seriban came by that way. ‘Buy a jar, buy a jar, saying so he appeared before that house. The grandmother said, ‘The plate is valueless, the hawker will pay nothing.’

The girl said, ‘Oh my grandmothet, the former hawker was not a good man. This man seems to be good. He may give something taking the plate.’

is less than one fourth of a price. You are an honest man. I must give the plate to you. Please give what you have for the time being instead of it.’

Seriban had rupees five hundred in his hand and some cormmodities. He kept eight rupees for himself and a balance with weight. The rest amount of money and the commodities he gave to the grandmother and grand daughter.

Then he reached the bank of the river. There was a boat on the bank of the river. Seriban said to the boatman, ‘Please take me across the river quickly.’ In the mean time the greedy hawker Seriba came back once again. He said to the old woman. ‘I considered, I shall give you some money. Bring me the plate. ‘What kind of man are you my child? Did you not say that the price of the plate was not even a pice? Just a few moment before another hawker gave us much money with commodities. I gave the plate to him in return. The man was very honest. He cheated no body.’

The greedy Seriba went to the bank of the river running. The honest Seriban then crossed the river and reached the other bank. The wicked Seriba looked the other bank with great lamentation. He lost his sense and died there with grief and repentance. The honest hawker Seriban got a lot of money by selling the plate of gold. He earned a lot of virtue with pious deed and help with that money. He became happy in life.

Moral : Avarice begets sin and sin begets death.