________________
LOVE-NOT DIVISION
THIS happened only a few years ago. Ram Mani and Raghu Mani, the two brothers were famed as deeply learned scholars in Navadweep. They were rich in knowledge as in wealth. They were much devoted to each other, inseparable like flower from fragrance. One day the elder brother Ram said to the younger, "Raghu, it's time we thought of dividing our property." "Brother, you astonish me!" exclaimed Raghu. "One knows of fools dividing their property. but surely we, with all our learning
know better!"
"But I am not suggesting that we separate," explained Ram patiently. "None can part us. I was only suggesting that we divide our property among our sons, so that they may not fall out over such a trivial matter as wealth when we are gone."
Ram had three sons; Raghu, only one. He divided their wealth in two equal parts, one for his three sons, the other for Raghu's one son. Instead of feeling happy.over this equitable division, Raghu cried out, "But this isn't fair. If we two were separating, we would have divided our wealth in two equal parts; but we are distributing it among our sons, so the only fair division would be to divide it in four equal parts and give one to each. Only that would make me happy."
99
27