Greed is the intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power or food.
It is synonymous with avarice, covetousness, rapacity, cupidity, possessiveness, gluttony, voraciousness, insatiability or overeating
The background story - The tortoise and the fox
Once upon a time, the tortoise and the fox were close friends. They were walking around one day and they saw a poultry farm with plenty fowls. The fox was excited seeing her favourite food around but the problem it had was that the owner of the farm is around, there is no way for it to access the farm. As the two of them were discussing, they overheard the farm owner saying that he will be travelling on a journey for some time. The fox was so happy, thinking that the absence of the farm owner will create an avenue for it to access the farm. When the owner of the farm departed, the tortoise and the fox started thinking and looking around for any available access to the farm because the farm was fenced. Later they saw a small hole and the fox was very excited. The fox attempted to access the farm through the hole, but the hole was too tiny for it. This was a big disappointment. The fox told the tortoise that the hole was too tiny for it to get into the farm. The tortoise continued to think and later it had an idea.
The tortoise idea
The tortoise them came up with an idea for the fox. What is that idea? The fox demanded. The tortoise said the idea is that the fox should fast for 3 days in order to reduce its weight to be able to access the farm through the hole. The idea seem great to the fox and he agreed to fast. It embarked on a 3 days fasting and after the three day, it has lost a lot of weight and so it approached the hole again and this time around, the fox was able to enter into the farm.
Operation of the fox inside the poultry farm
The fox started killing and feeding sumptuously with the fowls for many days. The tortoise was coming occasionally to say hi to it from outside and to congratulate it for the opportunity of plenty food.
Getting out of the farm
After many days, the fox noticed that the owner of the farm may soon come, so he started making attempt to get out, but the fox discovered that it has grown too fat for the hole to let it go out. The fox became so disappointed and disillusioned. The agitation and impatience was so high knowing that danger was looming if the owner of the farm could meet it there.
The counsel of the tortoise
It then decided to consult the tortoise its friend again on ideas that will get out before the arrival of the farm owner. The tortoise then advised that if it desires to get out, it has to start a 3 days fasting again to reduce its weight. It was in the process of the 3 days fasting that the owner of the farm came back and met the fox inside the farm with the great havoc it has done.
The end of the greedy
It was in the process of the 3 days fasting that the owner of the farm came back and met the fox inside the farm with the great havoc it has done. The farm owner furiously clamped down on the fox and killed it immediately. The eater then became the meat. This is the aftermath of greed.
Thanks for going through this piece. @Pastormike
Wow so interesting to read. Greed is just a killer and when one is also greedy plus disobedient and adamant, this is how such people end up. The tortoise has been a very wise animal from the beginning. Great work here.