The story revolves around four friends who, while traveling, encounter a water bearer at a well. Each friend attempts to request water but fails to provide the correct answer to the water bearer's riddle about their identity. Frustrated by their inability to explain themselves, they all return thirsty. Later, they are summoned by the king due to a complaint made by the water bearer’s son, who felt wronged by them. The king punishes the friends for their presumed disrespect until the water bearer explains her riddles to the king, demonstrating that his understanding was flawed. She clarifies that her definitions of wrestlers, travelers, poor people, and fools are symbolic, leading the king to realize his misunderstanding and ultimately feel ashamed. The story highlights themes of perception, understanding, and the importance of dialogue.

दही के दलदल, मक्खन के पहाड़। मच्छड़ ने मारी लात, टूट गया सहर गुजरात।। बात है सो मीठी, कथा है सो झूठी। कहनेवाला झूठा, सुननेवाला सच्चा॥

एक गाँव में चार गो इयार हलन। चारो इयार नोकरी करे चललन। जाइत-जाइत कुछ दूर गेलन त एगो कुआँ मिलल । ओहईं पर एगो पेड़ हल। ओकरे तर चारो इयार जा के बइठलन। ओहे कुआँ पर एगो पनिहारिन पानी भरे आयल हल, तो एगो इयार उठ के कुआँ पर गेलन आउ कहलन कि ''ए बहिन, हमरा पानी पिया दऽ ?'' पनिहारिन पूछलक कि ''तूं कउन हऽ? त ऊ बतवलन कि ''हम पहलवान ही।'' पनिहारिन कहलक कि ''तूं कउन पहलवान हऽ? दुनियाँ में दूए गो पहलवान हे- एकर मरम बताय दऽ, तो हम पानी पिलायम !'' तऽ ऊ कहलक कि एकर मरम हम जानवे नऽ करऽ ही। तऽ कुआँ पर से ऊ पिआसे चल अयलन । तीनो इयार पूछलन कि काहे बिना पानी पी ले घूम गेलऽ । त ऊ उहाँ के सब बात कह सुनौलन ।

तऽ दोसर इयार कुआँ पर गेलन। ऊ पानी पीये ला पनिहारिन से माँगलन तो ऊ कहलकइ कि तूं कउन हे? ऊ कहलन कि हम रहगीर ही। पनिहारिन कहलक कि ''दुनिया में दूए गो रहगीर हे। तू ओकरा में कउन हऽ? एकर मरम बतयवऽ तो पानी पिलायम नऽ तो नऽ पिलायम !'' ऊ कहलक कि एकर मरम हम जानवे नऽ करऽ ही। ओहू कुआँ पर से इयारन के पास आन के सब कथा सुनौलन।

तब तेसरका इयार कहलन कि ''हटऽ-हटऽ, तोहनी सब नऽ बतलयलें, तो हम जा के बता देम।'' ऊ भी कुआँ पर गेलन आउ पानी पीये ला माँगलन। पनिहरिन कहलक कि ''तूं कउन हऽ कि तोरा पानी पिला दिअउ?'’ ऊ कहलक कि ''हम गरीब ही!'' पनिहारिन कहलक कि ''दुनियाँ में दूए गो गरीब हे। तूं ओकरा में से कउन गरीब हऽ? बता दऽ तो पानी पिला देववऽ, नऽ तो नऽ!'' ओहू हुआँ से पिआसे चल आयल। तब चउथा इयार भी कुआँ पर गेल। ओकरो से पनिहारिन पूछलक कि तूं कउन हऽ? ऊ कहलक कि ''हम बुरबक ही।'' पनिहारिन कहलक कि ''दुनिया में दूए गो बुरबक हे। तूं ओकरा में कउन बुरबक हऽ? एकर मरम बतावऽ, तो पानी पिलबवऽ नऽ तो नऽ ।'' ओहू कहलक कि हम एकर मरम न जानऽ ही। पनिहारिन पानी भर के अपन घरे चल गेल।

चारो इयार तब अपना में विचार करइत हथ कि हमनी के देहात के अउरत भुला देलकवऽ । अभी सहर में जाय ला बाकिए हवऽ। चारो इयार उहाँ से ऊ पनिहारिन के इहाँ चललन। जा के चाल कयलन। ऊ दोसरा हीं चल गेल हल, तो ओकर सास निकलल आउ कहलक कि ''हम ओकरा बोलौले आवइत हिवऽ। तोहनी बइठऽ।'' ऊ एतने में बेटा भीर जाके कहलक कि ''तोर मेहररुआ चार गो इयार के बोलौले हउ !'' बेटवा सीधे राजा भीरू जाके केस कर देलक । राजा जी चार गो सिपाही से चारो इयार के पकड़वा के मँगौलन । राजा चारो के मोगली दे देलन।

पनिहारिन ई सजाय सुनके राजा भीरू आयल आउ कहलक कि ''एहनी के मोगली-डंटा काहे ला देलऽ हे?'’ राजा कहलन कि ''इयार हवऽ, से ई से दुख लगइत हवऽ!'' एतने में अउरतिया गोसा गेल आठ कहलक कि ''राजा जी, हम पानी भरइत हली तो एहनी पानी पीये ला हमरा भीर गेलन, आउ हम एहनी से बात-चीत कइली हे ।'' पनिहारिन राजा से कुआँ पर के सब बात कह सुनौलक ।

राजा कहलन कि ''पहलवान दुनिया में दुइए गो हे? हम तो बड़ी मानी पहलवान के देखली हे !'' तऽ पनिहरिनियाँ कहलक कि ''तोरा अइसन कुत्ता के राजा कउन बनौलक है? दुनियाँ में अन्न आउ पानी, एही दू गो पहलवान हे । राजा फिनो कहलन कि ''दुनियाँ में रहगीर कइसे दुइए गो हे? रहगीर तो दिन-रात चलइत मिल हथ।'' परिहरनियाँ कहलक कि ''चांद आउ सूरज, दुइए गो असली रहगीर हथ, जे दिन-रात बराबर चलइत रहऽ हथ। राजा कायल हो गेलन। फिनो कहलन कि ''दुनियाँ में दुइए गो गरीब हथ? केतना माँगइत-खाइत गरीब चलऽ हथ, से दुइए गो कइसे हथ?'’ ऊ जबाब देलक कि ''दुनियाँ में बेटी आउ गाय, दुइए गो गरीब हथ।'' तऽ राजा कहलन कि बुरबक दुइए गो कइसे हथ? तब पनिहारनियाँ कहलक कि ''पहिला बुरबक हम्मर मरदाना हे, जे बिना समझले नालिस कयलक, आउ दूसर बुरबक तूं हऽ, जे बिना समझले ई सब के मोगली-डंटा देलऽ हे !'' पनिहारिन से डाँट आउ जबाब पा के राजा जे मूँड़ी गाड़लन से उपरे न उठौलन।

See translation

Once upon a time, in a village, there were four friends. All four were working. As they walked a little further, they came across a well, where there was a tree. They all sat down near the tree by the well. A water bearer came to fill water at the same well, and one of the friends got up and went to the well and said, "Sister, can you give me some water to drink?" The water bearer asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am a wrestler." The water bearer said, "Which wrestler are you? There are only two wrestlers in the world—if you tell me about one of them, I will give you water!" The friend replied that he didn't know about that. So, he went back to the others without drinking water. The three friends asked why he returned without drinking water, and he told them everything that had happened.

Then the second friend went to the well. He asked the water bearer for water, and she asked him, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am a traveler." The water bearer said, "There are only two travelers in the world. Which one are you? If you tell me about one, I will give you water; otherwise, I won't!" He said he didn't know about that either. He returned to the other friends and recounted his experience.

Then the third friend said, "Get away! You all didn't tell anything, so I'll go and tell her." He also went to the well and asked for water. The water bearer asked him, "Who are you that I should give you water?" He replied, "I am a poor man!" The water bearer said, "There are only two poor people in the world. Which poor person are you? Tell me, and I'll give you water; otherwise, I won’t!" He too returned thirsty.

Then the fourth friend went to the well. The water bearer asked him who he was. He replied, "I am a fool." The water bearer said, "There are only two fools in the world. Which fool are you? If you tell me, I will give you water; otherwise, I won’t!" He replied that he didn't know. The water bearer filled her pot and went home.

The four friends then pondered that the woman from the village had deceived them. They still had to go to the city. So, all four friends went to the water bearer. They approached her in the same way. When the woman was coming back, her mother-in-law came out and said, "I’ll call him. You all sit here." Meanwhile, her son had gone straight to the king and complained. The king ordered his soldiers to bring the four friends. The king then punished them.

When the water bearer heard of this punishment, she went to King Biru and said, "Why did you punish them?" The king replied, "They are friends, and they hurt me!" Just then, the women spoke up and said, "Your Majesty, while I was filling water, they came and asked me for water to drink, and I talked to them." The water bearer told the king everything that had happened at the well.

The king said, "There are only two wrestlers in the world? I have only seen one famous wrestler!" The water bearer replied, "Who made you such an ignorant king? In the world, there are only two wrestlers: food and water." The king then asked, "How can there be only two travelers in the world? Travelers are found every day and night." The water bearer replied, "The moon and the sun are the two real travelers who travel all day and night." The king became convinced. He then asked, "How can there be only two poor people in the world? Many poor people beg and eat, so how are there just two?" She answered, "In this world, there are only a daughter and a cow, both being poor." The king then asked how there could be two fools. The water bearer replied, "The first fool is my husband, who made a complaint without understanding, and the second fool is you, who punished everyone without understanding!" After being scolded by the water bearer and receiving an answer, the king hung his head in shame and did not lift it again.