Sibu Tales : A Butcher and a Poor Man

My mother often said, " 10 years the river flows east, and 10 years the river flows west" to remind us that we must never look down on people as their luck may change. We must always respect people regardless of their creed, colour and race.

Here is a moral story she used to illustrate her point.

Once there was a poor man who would often buy the cheapest cut of pork from a butcher in Sibu and the butcher would rudely tell him off.

"Take your hands off my block or I might cut off your arm!"

Then one day this man disappeared from Sibu.

Many years later, he returned to Sibu a very rich man.

He went to see the Sibu and to greet some old friends.

The butcher saw him and immediately recognised him as a rich man, well dressed, smelling nice and wearing a gold watch.

The butcher called, "Mister, come, choose whatever piece you want!" He even took the rich man's hand and led him to his stall.

The rich man smiled and remembered how he had pointed at some pieces of pork before and how badly he was treated.

He told the butcher he wasn't buying any meat because he would eat in the restaurant for a few days and he was just passing by.

That was a great rebuff.

I wonder if the butcher ever learned his lesson.