“No, it is by me,” insisted Mind. At last they decided to make a trial upon a villager who was working on a neighboring farm. Luck first approached the man, and lo! the ploughshare unearthed a jug. The farmer stopped, and opening the mouth of the jug saw that it was full of gold coins.
“Ah!” he exclaimed, “I shall be a rich man.” But soon he changed his mind and said,—“Yes, but how will it be if thieves hear about my wealth, and come and rob me, and upon my resistance, kill me?”
While he was thus musing, he saw the judge passing by, on his way to the village. He at once decided to give the gold to the judge, and himself continue to live his tranquil farmer’s life. Accordingly he ran and called the judge to the farm. But before the judge had arrived, Mind had entered the man’s brain. He hid the jug and said to the judge:
“Sir, you are a judge, you are a learned man; do tell me, which of these two oxen of mine is the better one?”
The judge was angry and departed scolding the man. Mind also departed, and the farmer began to soliloquize:
“Oh, what a blockhead I am! why did I not give the gold to the judge? Surely he was the best man to have it. What shall I do with these coins? Where shall I keep them?”
He did not work during the rest of the day, but spent his time in useless meditation. In the evening he saw the judge returning from the village. He ran to meet him and begged him to come to his farm for a moment. The judge thought there must be meaning in the man’s conduct, and entered the field. By that time Mind had returned to the man’s brain, and he said to the judge:
“Sir, you are a learned man; do tell me which is the larger, the lot which I ploughed yesterday or the one I ploughed to-day?”
The judge thought that the man was crazy and departed smiling. Mind also departed from the man, who began to beat his head, saying:
“What a pumpkin-pated fellow I am! Why did I not give the gold to him? Where shall I keep it? What shall I do with it?”