The Burdened Gift

    The Rich and the Poor

In a dusty, impoverished neighborhood in India, two boys grew up side by side. Their families struggled to make ends meet, but the boys had each other and a world of adventure waiting just outside their doors. One of the boys, Ravi, was bright and kind-hearted. Though his family had little, he shared whatever he could, offering his meager food with friends and helping others understand their school lessons. He dreamed not of riches but of building a better life for his people.

The other boy, Amir, was strikingly handsome but less interested in school or in the struggles of those around him. He was charming, quick with a smile and a laugh, and clever in his own way—clever enough to manipulate his generous friend. Ravi, always willing to give, was often taken advantage of by Amir’s charisma and smooth words. But in their childhood innocence, they remained close, each believing the bond between them was unbreakable.

Then, one day when Amir was thirteen, his life changed forever. A wealthy and powerful noble, a pasha with no heirs, visited the town and was captivated by Amir’s charm and good looks. He decided to adopt the boy, whisking him away from poverty into a world of luxury and privilege. Though separated by circumstances, Amir and Ravi tried to stay in touch, exchanging letters filled with the news of their lives.

As the years passed, Ravi worked hard and became well-respected in his community. His kindness and intelligence won people’s trust, and eventually, he was elected as mayor of the town. Under his leadership, the town began to flourish. The people were happier, their lives improved, and Ravi was known for his compassion and wisdom.

Amir, meanwhile, was living in a palace, surrounded by wealth and influence. When his adoptive father, the pasha, passed away, Amir inherited the title and vast estates. He had everything he could desire—gold, servants, power—but something in him soured. When he heard of Ravi’s success and the prosperity of his town, jealousy began to burn inside him. The admiration and love that Ravi received from his people made Amir feel overshadowed, stirring old resentments.

Determined to remind Ravi of his place, Amir sent an edict demanding higher taxes and tribute from the town. He wanted to see if his "friend" could maintain his perfect image under pressure. Reluctantly, Ravi raised the taxes, trying to meet the demands, but over time, the town began to suffer. Hunger crept back into the streets, and families struggled to survive. Desperate, Ravi sent letters to Amir, explaining the dire situation and pleading for relief.

But Amir took pleasure in Ravi’s struggles. Instead of showing mercy, he devised a cruel plan. One day, a gift arrived in Ravi's town—a rare and magnificent white elephant. At first, the townspeople were in awe. A white elephant was a symbol of great honor, a creature of legend. But soon, they understood the curse hidden within the gift. The elephant required immense care, eating enough food to feed many families. It was a sacred animal that could not be put to work, and yet it drained the town’s resources every day.

Months passed, and the burden of the white elephant became unbearable. The townspeople grew poorer and hungrier, and their anger and desperation deepened. Still, Amir continued his demands for rice and meat to supply his palace, indifferent to the suffering he had caused. Reluctantly, Ravi sent what little he could, knowing it would only bring more hardship to his people.

One day, Amir received a special delivery of meat from Ravi’s town. The meat was rich, tender, and exquisitely flavorful, and Amir savored it, feeling a twisted satisfaction that even in struggle, Ravi was forced to provide for him. Eager for more, he sent a messenger back to the town with an order: more meat, as much as they could send.

Ravi’s reply came back the following week. The message was brief but sharp, cutting through the years of manipulation and cruelty.

“I’m glad you enjoyed the meat,” Ravi wrote. “But unless you send me another white elephant, there will be no more.”

In that moment, Amir understood the truth behind the words. The "special meat" he had enjoyed so much had come from the white elephant itself—the very gift he had sent to burden Ravi's town. Ravi had turned the pasha’s cruelty back on him, sacrificing the sacred elephant to save his people and make a statement his old friend could not ignore.

For the first time, Amir felt a pang of something unfamiliar—a mix of shame, anger, and regret. He realized that all his wealth and power could not buy him the respect and loyalty that Ravi commanded effortlessly. And he understood, too late, that in his envy, he had destroyed the bond they once shared.

As word of Ravi’s clever defiance spread, Amir’s reputation began to wane. People whispered about the foolish pasha who had been outwitted by a humble mayor, and respect shifted from the palace to the impoverished town that had outsmarted its ruler.

In the end, Ravi’s kindness and intelligence had triumphed, not through wealth or power, but through courage and sacrifice. And Amir was left alone in his palace, surrounded by riches but haunted by the emptiness his jealousy had created.

 © 2000-2025 Sieglinde W. Alexander. All writings by Sieglinde W. Alexander have a fife year copy right.
Library of Congress Card Number: LCN 00-192742
ISBN: 0-9703195-0-9