It's more blessed to Give than to receive

One day, a young man, a student in the university, was taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend for his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.

As they walked, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in the path, which was supposed to belong to a poor man who was working in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work . . .

The student turned to the professor and said "Let us play a trick on the man. We will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those bushes, then we'll wait to see the anxiety on his face when he cannot find them ..."

"My young friend," answered the professor, "We should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor . . As you are rich, maybe you will give yourself much greater pleasure by helping this poor man. Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this affects him."

The student did so and they hid themselves behind the bushes nearby. The poor man soon finished his work, and walked across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat, he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, however he felt something hard inside. So he stooped down to feel what it was, and he found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance.

He gazed upon the coin, turned it around and looked at it again and again. He then looked around to see if there is anyone, but there was no one to be seen. He put the coin into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; to his surprise he found another coin inside the shoe.

His feelings overcame him . . . he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing . . .

The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears.

"Now," said the professor, are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"

The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. .. I feel now the truth of these words, which I never understood before: "It's more blessed to give than to receive."