The Magical Drum and the Two Brothers​

Long ago, two orphaned brothers lost their parents in childhood. When the elder brother married, he and his wife grew to despise the younger brother. They forced him to do grueling work, fed him scraps, and dressed him in rags. Soon, they seized all the family land and house, banishing the younger brother to a dilapidated shed in a barren field.

One stormy night, rainwater leaked through his roof. With no shelter, the younger brother took refuge in an abandoned temple. As he lay restlessly, the temple door creaked open. Four tiny old men—each no taller than a forearm and wearing eggshells as hats—slipped inside. Peeking through half-closed eyes, the younger brother watched them retrieve a mystical drum hidden under a brick.

"Let's feast!" cried one, tapping the drum thrice. Dong! Dong! Dong! "Bring wine, four dishes, and steamed buns!" Instantly, a spread materialized. After devouring the meal, they hid the drum and vanished in a whirlwind.

At dawn, the younger brother tried the drum himself. Following their ritual, he summoned food whenever hungry. His newfound fortune, however, drew suspicion. When his sister-in-law accused him of theft, he confessed the drum's magic.

Consumed by greed, the elder brother ventured to the temple that night. Hiding on a beam, he trembled as the tiny men returned. "I smell human flesh!" they snarled. Discovering the missing drum, they yanked the elder brother down, stretching his neck like rope until it reached six meters.

The next morning, the horrified sister-in-law found her husband with an elongated neck. The younger brother chanted over the drum, shrinking the neck—until the sister-in-law smashed the drum in impatience. The elder brother's neck recoiled into his chest, killing him instantly.

Thus, greed consumed the wicked, while kindness guarded the pure-hearted.