The Miser and His Gold

A miser sold nearly everything he owned and bought a heavy piece of gold. He buried it beside an old wall and visited the hiding place every morning.

He would uncover the gold, stare at it happily, and bury it again. He never used it to buy food, improve his home, or help anyone.

A thief noticed these daily visits. One night, he dug beside the wall, found the gold, and carried it away.

The next morning, the miser discovered the empty hole and began to cry.

A neighbor heard him and asked what had happened.

— My precious gold is gone! — wailed the miser.

— Did you ever use it? — asked the neighbor.

— Never. I only looked at it.

The neighbor placed a stone in the hole.

— Then look at this stone instead. Gold that is never used does you no more good than a stone.

The miser realized that owning something without using it wisely brought neither comfort nor joy.