Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a Brahmin named Mitra Sharma. He was a devout worshipper of the Fire-God and spent his days performing rituals and prayers. One day, during the monsoon season, he decided to conduct a sacrificial ritual and traveled to a nearby village to request a goat from a devotee.
The devotee agreed and offered him one of his best goats. Delighted, Mitra Sharma began his journey back home, carrying the goat on his shoulders.
As he walked along the path, three crooks, who were starving and had no food, spotted him. They saw the goat and decided to trick the Brahmin to get it.
The first crook approached Mitra Sharma and said, “Why are you carrying a dead calf on your shoulders?”
The Brahmin, surprised, replied, “This is not a calf; it’s a goat for a sacrificial ritual.”
The crook apologized and moved aside.
A little further, the second crook stopped the Brahmin and said, “Why are you carrying a dead dog on your shoulders?”
Mitra Sharma, now irritated, replied, “This is not a dog; it’s a goat for a sacred ritual.”
The second crook also apologized and let him pass.
Soon after, the third crook approached and said, “Why are you carrying a dead donkey on your shoulders?”
By now, the Brahmin was furious. He shouted, “This is not a donkey; it’s a goat for a holy sacrifice!”
The third crook apologized and moved away.
After these encounters, Mitra Sharma reached home and began preparing for the ritual. He slaughtered the goat and offered it to the Fire-God. However, he was unaware that the crooks had followed him and were watching from a distance.
The crooks saw the Brahmin slaughtering the goat and realized they had been tricked. They had hoped to steal the goat by confusing the Brahmin, but their plan had failed.