Christian Living

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Mr. Hare and Mr. Eagle:
A Story of the Wages of Greed

Let me use a fable to explain how greed can be short-sighted. Mr. Hare got an invitation to visit the moon. The adventurous Hare really wanted to honour the invitation but he didn’t know how to get there. One day he met his friend Mr. Eagle and explained to him his helplessness.

Of course Mr. Eagle would help—how did he not think about it earlier? They agreed that they will travel together. He would ride on the back of Mr. Eagle. The journey was planned and everything was set.

On the material day, they left very early, aiming to reach the moon before noon. The unsuspecting Eagle didn’t know what the cunning Hare was up to when the latter introduced his new name upon arrival. He told Mr. Eagle, “From now on, my name is called Guests.” Mr. Eagle never bothered to find out why the change of name.

Hungry and tired from the long journey, Mr Hare thought it would be a good idea to have all the food and drinks for himself. He forgot that Mr. Eagle was hungrier and more tired than him after having bore Mr. Hare’s weight and flapped his wings all the way for the steep climb.

Mr. Hare told Mr. Eagle that they should act civilized and not just assume that whatever was brought into their room were theirs. Mr. Hare took upon himself to be asking whenever something was brought.

Moments later after their arrival, food and drinks were brought.

Mr Hare: Whose foods are these?
Host: The foods are for the guests!
Mr. Hare: What about the drinks?
Host: The drinks too are for the guests.

Whenever the host announced that the food was for the guests, Mr Hare would happily and insensitively announce to Mr. Eagle that the food was his (Mr. Guests). In this way, Mr. ‘Guests’ ate all the lunch and supper and drunk all the accompanying drinks. The poor Eagle watched and starved while the greedy Mr. ‘Guests’ feasted on food and drinks that were meant for both of them.

The Hare had forgotten who made it possible for him to get to the moon. After starving for the whole day and night, Mr. Eagle had had enough of Mr. “Guests” greed. Annoyed, Mr. Eagle woke up very early the following morning and left. When Mr. “Guests” woke up, Mr. Eagle was nowhere.

When the time came for Mr. Hare also to leave, he had no means. He had to fall all the way from the moon to the earth. Upon landing, he broke his limbs and his bulging stomach almost burst—he almost died. What a price to pay for greed!

The Bible says, “Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Proverbs 15:16). In the same way, isn’t it better to have just enough in the stomach, with limbs intact, than have a bulging stomach with broken limbs?

How many cases exist of people who overwork their servants (employees) as they starve them of sleep and food? By doing this, they don’t realise that this will only be counterproductive. In the long run, they will be the ones to pay the price. Greed doesn’t even pay right wage for work done.

“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work” (Jeremiah 22:13, KJV).

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