TWO FRIENDS

Once upon a time, there were two friends who were very close to each other. They were always seen together. Their natures were however very different, one was greedy and the other jealous.
One day both friends roaming in the forest saw a temple, on peeping inside a black granite shivling was visible. They decided then and there to go in and do penance to please Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva could be easily pleased, they felt. If they could please him he would give them whatever they craved for.

The entered the temple and sat before the lingam in deep meditation for seven days without food or water or for a moment leaving their meditation. At last a pleased Lord Shiva appeared before them and said, " I am pleased with your penance. I will give you whatever you ask for. Only one of you, however, can ask for a boon. The other will get double of what is granted to the first."
The two friends were perplexed about who should ask the boon.

The greedy man thought, "I will not ask for a boon. If I do, my friend will get double of what I get. I will not allow this to happen. I think I deserve to get double of what he gets. " Thinking this the greedy man refused to ask for a boon.
The jealous man thought, "If I also refuse to ask for a boon, we will lose this opportunity. I should ask for a boon which should teach this greedy man a lesson. He is greedy as by refusing to ask for a boon he wants to get double o what I will get."
After thinking for a little while, the jealous man turned to Lord Shiva and said, "

O Lord! Please take away one of my eyes so that I turn blind in one eye."
Lord Shiva looked for a while at the jealous man and said, "How can you ask for such a boon? Your request shows up your jealous nature. Ask for a boon which will be good for you and your friend also."
The jealous friend realizing his mistake said, " O Lord! Give me good thoughts and good faith."
"So be it!" said Lord Shiva and disappeared.

DO NOT CUT OFF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE!