Guru Nanak was on his travels
again, visiting villages and towns and meeting many
different kinds of people. Nearing one village, Nanak
felt tired and hungry and he decided to spend a few
days resting. A poor man called Lalo, who worked hard
as a carpenter, invited Nanak to stay at his house and
Nanak was happy to accept. When Malik Bhago, a rich
and important man who lived in the same village, heard
that the Guru was visiting the village, he sent his
servants to invite Nanak to stay with him. “I will give
an enormous feast for all the important people in the
area and Nanak, as my guest of honour, can sit by my
side”.
Over a hundred people came to
the feast, but Nanak was not among them. This made Malik
Bhago very angry and he sent his servants to fetch Nanak.
This time Nanak agreed to come. A crowd had gathered
outside Malik Bhago’s house, sensing that something
was going on. Malik Bhago met Nanak at the door. “Why
did you refuse to come to my feats?” Malik Bhago asked.
“I had rich cake for you to eat but your preferred to
eat course bread”.
Guru Nanak asked for a piece
of cake and took from his bag a piece of coarse bread
which had been given to him at Lalo’s house. He squeezed
them both. To the surprise of the crowd, drops of milk
trickled from the bread, while from the cake came drops
of blood. Malik Bhago shouted, “You are trying to trick
me!”
But Guru Nanak answered, “This
is no trick. Lalo’s simple bread was earned by honest
work, but your find cake, and all your wealth, was gained
by cheating the poor”.
Malik Bhago thought about what
Guru Nanak had said and he felt ashamed of the way that
he had lived. From then on, he changed his ways and
followed the teachings of Guru Nanak.
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