The tale begins with a poor widow who goes from house to house, begging for help to feed her two hungry children. She arrives at the door of a rich man and knocks, hoping for some assistance. The rich man opens the door, and the widow humbly explains her situation:
“Please, sir, I am a poor widow with two hungry children. If you can help me in any way, I would be deeply grateful.”
The man looks around, searching for something to give, but he finds nothing of immediate use. He feels remorseful and says to the widow:
“I apologize, but I don’t have anything in my house to offer you.”
The widow thanks him for his generosity and prepares to continue on her journey to another house. However, just as she is about to leave, the man stops her and says:
“Wait a moment!”
He hurriedly goes to his office, grabs a check, and fills it out with an amount written on it. Returning to the woman, he hands her the check, saying:
“Take this check and go to any bank to claim your amount.”
The widow, being illiterate and never having seen a check before, takes it gratefully but wonders if the man is playing a prank on her, as the document seems like plain paper.
Days pass, and confusion lingers in the widow’s mind. She finally confides in a friend, showing them the check. The friend explains to her with excitement:
“You must go to the bank! This paper you hold is a bank check!”
Empowered by her friend’s words, the widow finally gathers the courage and takes the check to the bank. The cashier examines the check and tells her that she is entitled to a staggering amount of 50 pounds in gold.
The widow is taken aback by the enormous sum. She can hardly catch her breath as she tries to comprehend the situation. She assumes the man made a mistake and decides to return the check to him immediately.
Arriving at the rich man’s house, she rings the bell, and the man appears at the door. With humility in her voice, she says:
“I am truly grateful for your generosity, but the money you wrote on the check is much more than I deserve. I believe there must be a mistake.”
Upon hearing her words, the man realizes his error. He takes the check, adds a zero after the 50, and hands it back to her, saying:
“I apologize for the confusion. Please go to the bank again, and this time, you will find that I wasn’t mistaken.”
This touching story beautifully demonstrates the power of humility and common sense. The rich man’s initial act of kindness, despite having nothing tangible to give, transformed the life of the humble widow. And, in turn, her trust, honesty, and willingness to acknowledge the excess amount showcased her own humility.
Let us remember that sometimes, the most meaningful acts come from the heart and require us to trust in the kindness of others. Through humility and common sense, we can make a difference in the lives of those around us, just like this compassionate rich man did.
