The Two Men and the Treasure

The Two Men and the Treasure is a fable by Jean de La Fontaine that tells the story of two friends who discover buried treasure in a field. Ecstatic, they vow to share it equally. However, as greed seizes them, they plot against each other with the aim of getting the entire treasure for themselves. This tale serves as a timeless warning about the destructive power of greed and dishonesty on relationships and personal integrity.

• Fable

								
A Man of cash and credit shorn
(The Devil only in his purse),
Resolved to hang himself one morn,
    Since death by hunger might be worse:

A king of death which pleases not
    Those curious in their final taste.
A rope and nail he quickly got,
    And fixed them to a wall in haste.

The wall was weak and very old,
    With the man's weight it crumbling fell;
When out there came a stream of gold,
    The Treasure that he loved so well.

He did not stay to count, but ran;
    Pale Penury no more he feared.
When in the miser came--poor man!
    To find his wealth had disappeared.

"Gold gone! This cord's my only wealth!"
    He cried; "now I have lost all hope:"
And so straightway he hanged himself.
    How changed the fortunes of that rope!

The miser saves his wealth for those
    Who may be prudent, may be thieves;
Into the grave perhaps it goes:
    Who knows the changes Fortune weaves?

For Lady Fortune mocks outright
    At human nature's dying pangs;
And if by you or me made tight
    The rope, she laughs that some one hangs!
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