The Broken Pot by Joseph Jacobs

Name: The Broken Pot
Author: Joseph Jacobs

A miserly Brahman named Svabhavakripana hoards leftover rice in a pot, dreaming of wealth and prosperity. He envisions a future where he transforms his modest rice into a fortune through a series of investments in livestock, ultimately leading to a grand house and a beautiful daughter-in-law. His daydreams spiral into elaborate scenarios, including the birth of a grandson, Somasarman, and the joys of family life. However, in a moment of distraction, he accidentally kicks the pot, shattering it and spilling the rice everywhere. This incident serves as a metaphor for the futility of his extravagant plans, illustrating that those who focus on unrealistic future ambitions may end up with nothing, much like the Brahman covered in rice. The story conveys a moral lesson about the dangers of greed and the importance of living in the present rather than getting lost in dreams of wealth and success.

By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1890 · Genre: Fable, Folklore, Satire · 424 words

First lines

There lived in a certain place a Brahman, whose name was Svabhavakripana, which means "a born miser. " He had collected a quantity of rice by begging, and after having dined off it, he filled a pot with what was left over. He hung the pot on a peg on the wall, placed his couch beneath, and looking intently at it all the night, he thought, "Ah, that pot is indeed brimful of rice. Now, if there should be a famine, I should certainly make a hundred rupees by it. With this I shall buy a couple of goats. They will have young ones every six months, and thus I shall have a whole herd of goats. Then, with the goats, I shall buy cows. As soon as they have calved, I shall sell the calves. Then, with the calves, I shall buy buffaloes; with the buffaloes, mares. When the mares have foaled, I shall have plenty of horses; and when I sell them, plenty of gold. With that gold I shall get a house with four wings. And then a Brahman will come to my house, and will give me his beautiful daughter, with a large dowry. She will have a son, and I shall call him Somasarman.

What this Textopian page supports

The Broken Pot is listed on Textopian as a fable by Joseph Jacobs, dated 1890 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Fable
Author: Joseph Jacobs
Date: 1890 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fable, Folklore, Satire, Parable, Humor
Length: 424 words
Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

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Genres

Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson through a simple narrative involving anthropomorphized characters and a clear moral outcome.
Folklore — The tale reflects cultural themes and traditional wisdom, characteristic of folklore, particularly in its setting and character archetypes.
Satire — The exaggerated plans of the miser serve to critique human folly and greed, aligning with satirical elements.
Parable — The narrative serves as a parable, illustrating the consequences of impractical thinking and the folly of overreaching ambition.