Inspiration Bytes: The Goat and the Rock

Goat and Rock

Once a milk vendor was busy selling his milk. In narrow lanes he wandered calling customers to buy his fresh milk. Whoever wanted would open his door and come out to buy his milk and the peddler would pick up the money and would go further to sell his milk.

It was noon. So the milk peddler wanted to rest for some time. The milk jug was heavy; half milk was left in that. So he kept it on a flat rock nearby and started eating his bread and cheese. Soon a goat keeper driving his bleating flock of goats came there. Seeing the milk peddler he happily greeted him with words ‘hello’. Hearing the loud voice of goat keeper, the goat which was going in front of him got startled and jumped over the rock where the milk jug was kept and dropped it down. The milk jug fell down breaking into pieces.

The milk peddler demanded money from the goat keeper for both milk and broken jar. But the goat keeper replied that it was not his fault but the fault was that of the goat. Both of them went to the

Judge and presented their case.

The judge hearing the case said that the milk vendor lost his milk and the container for no fault of his own. Without his jug it was not possible to carry out his business and feed the Family. Likewise there was no fault on the part of the goat keeper. There was no harm in his friendly greeting to the milk vendor. If he sold out his goat his family would suffer. So the fault was with the goat and rock. The judge ordered that both of them should be put into jail. Goat went peacefully and the stubborn rock had to be carried by twenty strong men.

The news of the strange event spread and all people wanted to attend the trial of the goat and the rock. All knew that the judge was an expert in sound judgement but the arrest of goat and the rock sounded madness.

Next day all people assembled inside the court curiously waiting for the judgement. The judge smiled and asked the guards to close the gates of the court room. Then the judge addressed all ‘you all have come to see what stupidity I do. I am disappointed that you are all thinking about me as mad and it is terrible. So I have decided to fine each of you one penny for such improper thoughts. You must pay the fine to leave the court yard.’

People laughed and paid the fine with a smile. The judge gave the entire collected money to the milk vendor with which he could buy a milk jug and sell fresh milk as he was doing earlier.

What a beautiful judgement!