The telltale mark

A rich couple was blessed with a child who was born with a mark on his forehead. They were very happy and excited. The mother said that the mark was a sign that the boy was going to become a great writer. But the father said, “No, no! The mark means that he is going to be as strong and as powerful as I am. Physically he will be very, very strong and powerful.”

Some of their friends said that the child would be a sailor and sail from one country to another. But everybody said that the mark meant that this little baby would be very great or good or both. So the parents were very pleased. They said, “Let us now see what happens to him when he grows up. Everybody is saying good things, exceptionally good things, about him.”

One day a beggar came to their house for alms. The father happened to be at the gate and he noticed that the beggar had exactly the same kind of mark at the same spot as their little child.

The father immediately summoned his wife and said, “Now look, look! Here is a fellow who has the same mark as our child. And what is he doing? He is a beggar! So let us not boast anymore. Our son is definitely going to become a beggar. Here is the proof!”

The wife said, “You are right, you are right. This beggar has the same mark at the same spot. O God, what have You done, what have You done? When our son grows up, he will also become a beggar. That we don’t want to see.”

The husband said, “From now on, let us put as much money as possible in the bank for him. We are now old, and soon we shall die. But if he has money in the bank, then he will be able to live comfortably on earth. We don’t want our son to become a beggar.”

So they put lots of money in the bank in their son’s name, so that he would not end up poverty-stricken like this beggar.