Once there was a good- hearted merchant called Devdas. All of a sudden Devdas had to face a big business loss. He was totally bankrupt. He sold all his belongings except his maiden scale which he loved best. At that sad moment he visited another merchant, and said, Premchand, please keep my iron balance till I' come back ... " Devdas left his village for sometime as he was so upset. After a week he returned. He then approached his fellow merchant Premchand and asked for the balance. Unexpectedly friend gave a strange reply.
"I'm so sorry, your balance was eaten up by the mice Devdas was shocked, but kept quiet. He only said. I feel so hot, I want to bathe in the river and perform some religious rites. Can you please send your child with me ?...." Premchand agreed. On the way there was a cave. Devdas pushed the little boy into the cave and shut it with a huge stone. When Premchand asked about the child, Devdas told his friend that a hawk had carried away his son. Premchand was utterly worried and complained to the king.
The king too was angry when Devdas replied that a hawk had carried away the boy. The king shouted crossly.
"What a fool you are ? Why do you tell a lie ? Can a hawk carry away such a big child ...." Devdas looked at the king and smiled softly. "Your majesty, can the mice eat an iron balance, a hawk can certainly carry away a boy ...." Devdas then told the king the story about the balance and how he was deceived by his faithful friend. The fair king soon understood the reason for Devadas's action. He ordered the other merchant to return the balance to the rightful owner, immediately. Then Devdas released Premchand's son from the cave. Premchand learned the gravity of his dishonesty.
