Long ago in India, there lived a kind woodcutter named Subha Datta. He lived happily with his wife and five children, supporting them by selling wood from the nearby forest.
One day, Subha Datta ventured deep into the forest alone. While chopping wood, he was startled to see four beautiful fairies dancing in a clearing. They invited him to stay with them, promising his family would be cared for. Tempted, he agreed.
The fairies revealed their secret: a magic pitcher that could produce any food or drink one wished for. Subha Datta stayed with them for a month, enjoying the endless delights from the pitcher, but he grew increasingly homesick and guilty about his family.
When he finally decided to return home, the grateful fairies offered him any gift he desired. Despite being shown a treasure trove of jewels and robes, Subha Datta stubbornly demanded the magic pitcher. With heavy hearts, the fairies kept their word and gave it to him.
Subha Datta returned home, hiding the pitcher and lying about his absence. Using the pitcher, he provided lavish feasts for his family, but his secrecy and growing pride poisoned their happiness. He began to boast and drink too much wine.
One day, while drunk and showing off, he was goaded into revealing his secret. In a wild, drunken dance, he dropped the precious pitcher, shattering it on the ground. As the pieces lay untouchable, he heard fairy laughter and the words, "Our pitcher is ours again!"
The magic was gone. Subha Datta's friends left, and his family was left with nothing. He returned to his old life as a woodcutter, having learned a hard lesson about greed, secrecy, and the true value of honest work and family.