story 2

THE INSOLUBLE PROBLEM

While putting the day’s collection into his chest, a shop-keeper remembered the village deity and said, “O Lord, please see that the money in the chest remains safe. If you do so, I shall offer you a coconut.”
Years passed. The deity received no coconut from the shop-keeper. One night He told the shop-keeper in a dream, “I’ve ensured that your money remains safe, haven’t I? But where is my coconut?”
“The problem is, I must take out money from the chest if I’ve to buy a coconut for you. And if I’ve to take out some money, can it be said that the money has remained safe?”
The deity sighed and disappeared.