Two Bitter Enemies
Two rich men were bitter enemies. They avoided each other's company. In public they kept their heads held high in pride.
Soon one of them died, leaving behind his worldly comforts, pomp and splendour. The other secretly rejoiced in his enemy's death. A long time later he happened to pass the graveyard. There, seeing his enemy's grave, he stopped. A black, dried up heap of moss covered that neglected place. It was now home for a man whose palace had once been decorated with gold and silver.
The man scornfully pulled off a strip of the rotting wooden coffin. Inside he saw the wealthy man's head detached from the neck. Both of the eyes were hollow and filled with earth. The passage of time had reduced that face. Once it was as bright as the full moon. It had become like a barely visible slip of the crescent moon. His tall body had been eaten up and mutilated by ants, worms and insects. His powerful arms, hands and fingers were all disconnected at the dried-up joints.
Suddenly his heart melted at the sight. His eyes shed countless tears of sorrow and remorse. His tears thickened the earth inside the grave like dough. He regretted his own bad behaviour to the dead man so much that he arranged to install a name plate on the grave which carried the following inscription:
"Never rejoice in anyone's death. You will not outlive him for very long."
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