The Hired Mourners
Long ago a big rich house stood beyond the green valleys. An old and wealthy man lived in this beautiful house. One day the old man suddenly got sick and died. His kind and gentle daughters felt a deep sadness. The girls cried quietly and suffered great pain inside. But the old custom asked for loud weeping at a funeral.
So the relatives paid money and hired mourners from the village. These hired women came to the house and screamed very loudly. They pulled their hair, beat their chests and cried false tears. One of the daughters was very surprised and watched with wonder. The little girl slowly walked to the old mourner. "We lost our father, but we cry less loudly than you," she said.
"You never knew him, so how can you feel so sad?" she asked. The old mourner dried her tears and smiled gently at the girl. The woman whispered very quietly into the girl's ear. "Dear child, you cry for the true pain in your heart," she said. "But we scream like this for the gold coins," she added. The little girl understood that a golden show is not real love. A show bought with money never takes the place of true feelings. Only a mother weeps truly; all the rest weep lies.