**The Merchant and the Silly Thief**

Long ago in India, a merchant—a man who sells things—went far away to work. He worked hard and saved five hundred rupees. “Time to go home!” he said.

A thief saw him. The thief’s eyes went pop! “Five hundred rupees!” he whispered. “I will follow him.”

The thief ran up. “Hello, sir! Where are you going?”

“Home,” said the merchant.

“Wow! Me too!” said the thief. “Can I walk with you?”

“Sure,” said the merchant. “Come along.”

They walked and walked. At a little hotel, the merchant went to eat dinner. The thief searched for the room. Search, search, search! Pockets? No. Bed? No. Pillow? No. Sock? Only toes. Not one penny!

“He is tricking me,” thought the thief. “He has no money at all!”

The next day, the thief asked, “Sir, how many rupeess do you have?”

“Five hundred,” said the merchant.

At the next little hotel, the merchant went to dinner. The thief searched and searched. Under the pillow. Under the sheet. Behind the door. Inside a shoe. Nothing! Not one penny!

“He is tricking me again!” thought the thief.

At last, they came home. The merchant opened his purse and took out five rupees.

“Here,” he said. “These are for you.”

“No, thank you,” said the thief. “I don’t want one rupee. But may I ask one question?”

“Yes,” said the merchant.

“I am a thief,” said the thief. “You are safe at home now. I won’t steal from you. I was after your five hundred rupeess. You showed me you have it. But please tell me: where did you hide it when you went to dinner?”

The merchant smiled. “I put it under your pillow.”

The thief’s mouth felt open. “Under MY pillow?!”

“Yes,” said the merchant. “Every time. Before dinner, I tiptoed over and slipped it under your pillow.”

The thief groaned. “I searched your pillow! I never searched for my own pillow! I am a very silly thief!”

“Very silly,” said the merchant. “But very polite.”

“Thank you,” said the thief. “I will go home and search my own pillow. Goodbye!”

And that is like people looking for God outside. They run here. They run there. They look under every pillow—except the right one. God is not lost far away. God is very close, inside your heart.