A miser, whose only pleasure was making money, sold all his property and land. He forged the proceeds into a single mass of gold and buried it in the ground. Visiting the spot daily was his greatest joy.
A neighbor, who occasionally passed by, observed the miser digging with delight. Out of curiosity, the neighbor dug at the same spot and discovered the treasure. Astonished, he decided to steal it outright.
The next day, the miser found his treasure gone. In furious agony and desperation, he cursed heaven and earth, tearing his hair like a madman.
A passerby, seeing his distress, asked about his sorrow. The miser recounted his tale in detail. The passerby comforted him, saying, "Do not weep for your lost treasure. Your loss is not as great as you think. Bury a stone of the same size in its place and regard it as your gold. For you, there is little difference, as the gold was as useless as a stone. Happiness lies not in possessing wealth, but in using it wisely."