Two young men were traveling in company along when one of them picked up a good looking purse with valuables.
“Oh, what a lucky day for me!” he said. “I have found the purse filled with gems and gold.”
“Do not say ‘I’ have found a purse,’” said his companion. “ Rather say ‘we’ have found a purse and ‘how lucky we are.’ Travelers are ought to share alike the fortunes or misfortunes of the road.”
“No, no,” disagreed the other angrily. “I found and picked the purse so it is only me who is going to keep it.”
As the two men were discussing the ownership of the fortune, they heard a shout “Stop, thief! Catch the thief”. When the men looked behind they saw a mob of people armed with clubs angrily coming down the road.
The man with the purse fell into a panic.
“We are in trouble if they find the purse with us,” he cried.
“No, no,” replied the other, “You did not say ‘we’ before when you had to share your fortune, so now stick to your ‘I’. Say ‘I am in trouble.’ Don’t try to share your misfortune now, when you were not ready to share your fortune earlier.
Moral: We cannot expect anyone to share our misfortunes unless we are willing to share our good fortune also.
