Farmer

One of Tukaram's admirers promised him some grain every day if he would look after his fields of corn and protect them from birds. Tukaram agreed as he thought that he would find a solitary place to sing the praises of God. When Tukaram went to the field, all the birds flew away. And Tukaram was so upset that the poor birds were deprived of their food. In a few days, however, the birds lost their shyness and fear and began to feed regularly on the corn. When the owner of the fields came to know of it, he hauled up Tukaram before the village headman; and in spite of all the preachings of Tukaram about kindness to God's creatures and duty to allow them to feed freely, he was made to give a promissory note to the owner of the fields for whatever sum might be found to be the loss. After the harvest, however, it was found that the fanner, instead of losing, had got double the expected quantity. The farner was so overjoyed that he sent Tukaram the excess quantity which, as was to be expected, Tukaram distributed to the poor.