Sibling Rivalry

In a far away place a very long time ago, there lived a pair of brothers.  As children they were as close as brothers could be, but each was different in his way. The elder brother was a temperamental lad, blessed with a green thumb. While the younger was a spirited boy with gentle manners and a skill for wrangling animals.

For some reason, their father preferred the younger, kinder son, and so resentment poisoned the elder brother's heart towards his own family. Eventually, the jealous boy became  a self-centred and vicious man.

One day the elder brother went to his father and demanded to be given his rightful inheritance. His father, who liked to think himself a just man, gave him half of his entire estate.

But still, the elder brother was not grateful. Instead, he lusted after his brother's share and plotted to relieve him of it.

Sure enough, the younger brother was soon discovered dead. And the elder brother had become so unscrupulous, that he threatened to abandon his father lest he give him his newly totalled inheritance. His father, thinking himself a wise man, agreed to turn over every last sheep and shekel; though not before he could hold an appropriate service in his recently dead son's honour.
The greedy scion, who was known to be vain as well as volatile, magnanimously agreed to grant his request.

The funeral service was the most extravagant extravaganza of all time. His father spared no expense and all the guest marvelled at the lavish opulence of the affair.

Once all the guests had sung their dirges and gobbled up their fare share, the son turned once again to his father and demanded the remaining share of his father's wealth.

His father, patted him on the shoulder and told him there was nothing left.  ''Every shekel was spent, every last cask of wine was poured, and every sheep was sheered and shish-kabobbed.  Now take your fortune and go!''

And so the greedy man left his father's house never to return and lived miserably ever after.