Cunning Peter and the Rich Man

One day, Clever Peter was walking down the street and met a rich man.

"Hey, you," said the rich man, "why didn't you bow to me?"

"And why should I bow to you?" Peter asked in return.

"Because I am rich and have 1,000 gold coins!" replied the rich man, puffing up with pride.

"Well, you have 1,000 coins. They are yours and won't become mine just because I bow to you. So why should I bow?"

"What if I give you 500 coins? Will you bow to me then?" the rich man asked Clever Peter.

"If you give me 500 coins, I will have as many coins as you do. So why should I bow to you then?"

Confused, the rich man thought for a moment and asked again:

"What if I grow tired of being rich and give you all my gold? Will you bow to me then?"

"But then I would have 1,000 coins, and your pockets would be empty. And I certainly wouldn't bow to you," Peter replied finally, turned around, and continued on his way.

More fairy tales

• Greed Does Not Lead to Good
• The Water Spirit
• The Silver Deer
• The Tale of the Boy, the Puppy, the Kitten, and the Little Frog
• The Punished Clumsy Bear