Once upon a time there was a great temple that was visited by many pilgrims every day, and not far away was the royal palace of the Queen of that land. The Queen was very wealthy, and also very vain. One day she decided that she could gain great merit by feeding the pilgrims who came to the temple, but she found a way to do so that would also feed her vanity. She had herself weighed against a basket filled with gold coins, and then sent the money to be distributed at the temple. Then she was very satisfied with herself, for she was certain that she was the most charitable woman in the world.

The God to whom the temple was dedicated saw how proud the Queen was, and decided to teach her a lesson. That night, he appeared to her in a dream and told her, “A poor woman has come to my shrine. Go to her tomorrow and ask her to give you the merit she has gained.” And he described the woman and told the Queen where she would be found.

The next day the Queen went to the woman, and said to her, “You have acquired some merit. Give it to me. I will pay you whatever you ask.”

The woman was poor and very simply dressed, but she said, “Mother, what could my merit be compared to yours? You have given your weight in gold, whereas I have given less than a roti. Yesterday I came to the temple a long way on foot, fasting, and this morning someone gave me a roti. But I saw a mother with a crying child and I gave her half, and before I ate that, I saw a hungry beggar and gave him half of that. So, less than a roti I gave. But even if I had much merit,” she went on, “I would not sell it – for money cannot give happiness. It is giving without expecting a return that brings happiness.”