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Sherani Folktales
The Beggar, the Hindu, & the Treasure
Narrated by Mullah Saleem
It is said that a certain faqir came to Ghazni, where every day he used to
beg. One evening he heard a Hindu saying in a loud voice that he would give a
hundred rupees to anyone who would work for him at night. The beggar accepted
this offer, and went with the Hindu to his house and was fed full. When night
came they went to a level plain, and the Hindu asked the beggar to dig at a
certain spot. A stone was soon reached and removed, and a cave exposed. As there
was no other way in, the Hindu suggested that the beggar should be lowered by a
rope and should then fill bags with what he found inside, the bags, and then
himself, being afterwards drawn up.
The beggar entered, filled the bags with gold, and told the Hindu, who drew
up the bags and then closed the cave with the stone and went home. The poor
beggar, left in the dark and amongst bones, had no way of escape. After a few
days a hungry beast of prey began to dig towards the cave in search of bones to
eat, but when it had made a hole and caught sight of a living being, it ran
away. The beggar got out through the hole made, as if by Allah, for his rescue.
He was so exhausted by his imprisonment in the cave that he could not walk, but
at his request some passers-by took him to the town.
One evening after his recovery the beggar happened to pass before the shop of
the Hindu, and heard him speak as before. He again accompanied the Hindu, and
dug a hole in the same place. The Hindu asked him to enter the cave, but he
refused, saying that he was engaged for outside and not inside work, and that
the Hindu ought himself to go in and fill the bags, after which all should be
drawn out. The Hindu then entered the cave, filled the bags with gold, and asked
the beggar to raise them. This was done, but, when the Hindu's turn came, the
beggar left him below, closing the mouth of the cave with the stone and going
away. The beggar then passed the rest of his days in happiness.
Source: Sir Lucas King., Sherani Folktales
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