The Cave Crack That Spilled Rice

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Mr. A-rung was a host of Matsu Temple and a pious follower of the Goddess Matsu. Everyone who came to pay their respects at the temple knew that there was a magic cracked hole in the temple’s cave that spilled rice. A-rung kept telling everyone happily, “This cracked hole always spills just enough rice to feed all who come to pay their respects. This must be a blessing from the Goddess Matsu, how amazing!”

One day, A-rung took in a beggar and allowed him to live in the temple. The beggar was very curious about the cracked hole in the cave. So, he told A-rung, “If you sell the rice that spills out of the cracked hole, you will surely make lots of money. If we make the cracked hole bigger, more rice will spill out. Then, we can open a rice shop and get rich!”A-rung replied hesitantly, “I have thought of this before, but the rice is Goddess Matsu’s blessing to all who come to pay their respects. There is just enough for everyone, and I am quite content.”But the beggar would not give up.

After a few days, A-rung and the beggar brought two buckets and a chisel and stood in front of the cracked hole. The beggar said, “Let’s begin! I will make the cracked hole bigger, and you can catch the rice that spills out. Make sure you catch all of it.”Sadly, A-rung agreed to the beggar’s plan. The rice spilled out and filled the buckets. Seeing this, the beggar shouted happily, “Yes! We’re going to be rich!”Instead of sharing all the rice with everyone, they kept some and sold it in the market.

The next day, A-rung brought the buckets to the cracked hole again. But no rice came out.“That’s strange, ” he said.“The Goddess isn’t here today! The buckets are still empty!”After the cracked hole was made larger, rice stopped spilling from the cracked hole. The truth was that the rice was donated by a wealthy man in town. After learning of A-rung and the beggar’s greedy actions, he stopped donating rice.