# How the Wicked Sons Were Duped explained — Indian Fairy Tales

> Chapter companion for Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs.

## What happens

A wealthy old man divides his property among his sons while still alive, only to suffer their neglect and cruelty once they have their inheritance. A friend advises him to pretend that a debt has been repaid with bags of stones and gravel, leading the sons to believe there is more wealth. The sons become attentive and kind until the father's death, when they discover the bags contain only stones.

## Themes in this chapter

### Gratitude and Ingratitude

The sons show ingratitude after receiving their inheritance, contrasting with their earlier feigned affection.

### Greed and Its Consequences

The sons' greed for more wealth leads them to be duped by the bags of stones.

## Character check-ins

### Sthuladatta

The wealthy old man who is mistreated by his sons after dividing his property.

### Bidpai

The friend who devises the plan to trick the sons into being kind.

## Key lines

> A very wealthy old man, imagining that he was on the point of death, sent for his sons and divided his property among them.

A rich old man, believing he was about to die, called his sons and gave them their inheritance.

_Opening action setting up the plot._

> Wretched, selfish ingrates! Previously they vied with one another in trying to please their father, hoping thus to receive more money, but now they had received their patrimony, they cared not how soon he left them.

The ungrateful sons had competed to please their father for money, but after getting it, they wanted him gone.

_Highlights the sons' selfishness and ingratitude._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se/chapters/how-the-wicked-sons-were-duped
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se/chapters