The Rich Man, The Poor Man, And His Wife

There is a man who has no money but who owns a field. The soil of the field is fertile and he has a store of grain set aside. If he could only sow that grain in his field, he would be able to raise a fine crop of wheat. But in order to sow the grain he needs a plough. So he goes to a wealthy man and he says to him, 'Please give me your spare plough or the money to buy a plough, so that I may grow wheat in my field and feed my wife and children.'

'The wealthy man replies, 'I did not become rich by giving my money and possessions away to all and sundry. Instead, I will lend it to you.'

'Thank you,' says the first man.

'But wait,' says the wealthy man. 'Money has a value of its own. If I lend you this money I shall require you to give it back to me with interest.'

'Gladly,' says the first man. 'Just as soon as I have brought in my harvest, I shall sell it in the market and return your money to you.'

'That is well,' says the wealthy man, 'Because I own the market and I set its prices. But listen to me. Your harvest may fail, and then where will my money have gone? I require more security than that. If you want me to lend you my money so that you may buy a plough, you must first grant me title to your field. Then you must agree to work for me to till that field, and you must hand over all the harvest to my granaries. In exchange, I will pay you a weekly wage and permit you to spend it in my market, where you may buy the necessities of life at the very reasonable prices I have set.'

'So, in order to feed my children I must give you my field?' says the man. 'I cannot do that - it belonged to my father, and his father before him. I cannot pay that price.'

'Then you, your wife and your children may starve for all I care; and when you are dead I will take your vacant field anyway, for there will be nobody to prevent me. Now get out of my sight, before I set my dogs on you!'

And the man goes home empty-handed to his wife. 'Light of my eyes,' he says. 'The rich man will not give me a plough, nor will he lend me the money to buy a plough of our own unless I hand over our lives and my inheritance in return.'

'Then,' she replies, 'He is an unjust man and our enemy, and it our duty to fight him. You and I will have to take the wealthy man's money from him by force. It is the only way to save the lives of our children.'

And the man has to agree with his wife.