Long ago, in a village, lived two farmers who were poor. Both used to live with their family and had little piece of land, on which they used to work and earn their living.
Suddenly, both died at same time, on same day. God of Death took them both in front of God.
God said, “What was missing in your previous life?”
Listening to this, one of them said, “God! You gave me a very bad life. You didn’t give me anything. All my life I worked in fields like an Ox. Whatever I earned was not even enough to feed myself and family well.
I didn’t got to wear good clothes or enjoy life like others. I got nothing in my hands. What an animal like life, I have lived.”
After listening to his complain, God asked him, “What do you want now, for your next life?”
Farmer replied, “Please do make it such way that I never have to give anything to anyone. I only get money from all sides.”
God listened to him and said, “You will get what you asked for. You can go now.”
After he left. God again asked to other farmer, “Tell me, what was lacking in your previous life?”
Farmer folded his hand and said, “O God, You have given me everything. What can I ask from you. You have given me a good family, some land on which I could work hard and earn enough to feed my family.
But there was only one thing missing in my life, which I regretted all my life and even now.
Sometime, thirsty and hungry people would come at my door. I could give them water but I could not give them food because there was no food and they had to return hungry from my house.”
Saying this he became silent.
God asked, “So what do you want, what should I make you in this birth?”
Farmer prayed to God with folded hands, “Please do such that no one ever goes thirsty or hungry from my door.”
God said, “You will get what you wished for. Now, you can go.”
Now, both of them were born together again in same village. Both grew up.
First person who told God that he should get only money from all sides and he never have to give anything to anyone. He became beggar of that village.
Second person who said God that he didn’t want anything except that no one should ever go hungry from his door. He became richest man in that village.