The legend is told in India about a stick and a stone that were of some small service to a Hindu holy man. Out of gratitude he offered to transform them into any object they desired.

The solid stone wanted to be a strongbox or safe to hold the holy man’s sacred relics. The vain stick indicated it wanted to become a Hindu woman’s beautiful gown or sari.

Thus it came to pass: the stone became a strongbox and the stick became a sari. The night after the transformation, a terrible fire ravaged the village, burning down every house.

The holy man’s hut was destroyed and along with it the beautiful sari. The safe was the only thing that survived.

Moral: It’s better to be safe than sari.