I think this could only happen in the enchanted streets of the Middle East. I'm not even sure if this story is true, but from what I witnessed I believe it to be.
I was walking a busy street in one of the crowded Arab cities. I noticed this group of Arab women walking together, window shopping it appeared. They laughed and joked as all women do when they've left their men folk at home. Ladies day out applies worldwide.
As they walked, one lady in particular was lured by the barking call of a chicken salesman. He spoke in Arabic, but I initially believed it translated to, "Come kill my chicken for a buck-fifty"!
What? Did I hear him right? Well, my Arabic is a bit rusty so I broke out my translation app. Then I learned he barked, "Come buy my chicken for a buck-fifty"! Wow, I didn't realize the two words sounded so similar in Arabic.
Anyway, she was coaxed by the call and approached. I overheard the bargaining begin and eventually they settled on a price of a dollar and fifteen cents. A moment later and she was off.
After she got the chicken home, the next morning she went to get her morning eggs. Her new chicken did not disappoint. There was one beautiful egg this new provider had laid for her.
But, when she cracked the eggshell to make her breakfast, she noticed the most obnoxious odor she had ever smelled. It was horrific! Thinking it was just a one off event, she discarded the egg and waited another day.
The next day the hen again laid a beautiful egg. But again the egg had a horrible smell when she cracked the shell. This time she knew she had been duped. The chicken vendor was selling faulty chickens!
She grabbed the chicken and put it under her arm and proceeded with due haste back to the street vendor. She confronted the charlatan and demanded her Buck and fifteen back. But the man was not accommodating.
"Caveat Emptor, buyer beware"!" Was his only response. What? This Arabian is quoting Latin? Where did he learn that?
The woman, now frustrated, responded to the cheat, "You are a cheat and a lowlife. Karma, baby! You'll get your just reward in due time". And with that she stormed home.
That night she looked at her chicken and said, "This is your last chance. One more rotten egg and I'll be having fried chicken tomorrow night!" And with that she went back in her house.
The next morning she awoke, and immediately went to her foul, egg-laying hen. The hen once again laid a beautiful egg, but this time it was extremely heavy. She turned to the hen, and said, "This was your last chance my fine feathered friend. You better not disappoint me this time." And with that she carried the heavy egg into her kitchen.
This time when she remove the shell, she saw what appeared to be a shiny metal. She removed the remainder of the shell and discovered that the inside was pure gold. Excited, she brought the golden egg into town to be appraised. The appraiser confirmed it was pure gold and valued at $65,000 USD.
Wow! That was enough for her to retire on. She was so happy with the new found fortune. As she departed the appraiser's office, she walked to the street to intentionally find the cheating charlatan. She held the golden egg up to him and taunted him with it, telling him he had parted with the chicken that laid the golden egg. Then she left singing all the way home,
Now the vendor was overtaken by envy and covetousness. He must get that chicken back! So he contrived a plan to stealthily arrive at her house that night and steal the chicken.
Shortly after 1 am he arrived at the woman's home. Intent on stealing back the hen that laid the golden egg he entered the hen house. But the hen recognized him. Not wanting to go back to the tiny cage and sit in the hot streets to be bought again, the hen pecked his eyes out. The man, a bloody mess, screamed as loud as he could.
The Arab lady arrived shortly after and saw the hen still pecking at the man. Having sympathy on him she grabbed an axe and chopped off the head of the hen that laid the golden egg. The hen ran around without a head for a moment then pooped out one last golden egg.
The kind and compassionate woman handed the final egg to the injured man in compensation for his injuries. Even though he was simply a thief in the night, she led him to a local hospital where the surgery performed. And then more surgery. It was expensive.
The irony was the cost of all the surgeries he had was exactly what he got for the egg, and he still never could see again. I guess the moral of the story is a bird egg in the hand is worth two eyes in the barn!
Ok, this is no Aesop fable, what did you expect?
🤪🤔🤣😂😊
I was not sure where this story was going to end. It turned out to be a true life story. Help out the helpless as the thief was the helpless