Guru Nanak was about sixteen. He loved everybody and liked to help everyone. He made friends with many boys of his age. Two of his friends were Bala and Mardana. Bala was a Hindu and Mardana was a Muslim. The three friends loved one another very much. They called one another Bhai (Brother). They always sang the Guru's hymns and played together. Mardana was a good singer and Guru loved him very much. But the Guru's father did not like the Guru's friend Mardana because he was a Muslim. He did not like to see Nanak playing with a Muslim boy. But the Guru always said, "There's no Hindu and no Muslim. We are all brothers."
The Guru's father was all the more angry with him because he always gave away his clothes, books, shoes and money to the poor boys. He even gave away his food to the hungry people. He always liked to listen to the wise men and saints. Sometimes he prayed to God with his friends for long periods of time and was late for home. His sister, Nanaki was very kind to him but his father and mother were unhappy. They were thinking of finding some work for the Guru.
At last one day the Guru's father found work for the Guru. He gave him twenty rupees. It was a great sum of money in those days. He asked him to go to some city and do some trading. When we buy things for less money and sell them for more money we call it trade. The Guru agreed. His father was very happy. He thought that Nanak would learn the trade and become a rich man. He would have beautiful clothes, a good house, rich food to eat and a number of servants.
The Guru and his friends Bala and Mardana set out on their journey. They had to travel on foot. They went from village to village. In every village they asked the people to live like brothers. They asked them to think of God and help one another. After a few days they reached a jungle where they saw about twenty good men. They were saints who were praying to God. But almost all of them looked very thin and weak. The Guru and his friends stayed to talk with them. They prayed together and talked a lot. The Guru came to know that all the saints were hungry. They needed food but they had no money. The saints did not ask for food but the Guru did not like to see them hungry.
At once he put his hand in his pocket. He could feel the hard coins. He began to think about the hungry people and about trading.
He thought for some time. He remembered what he had told the villagers to do. "Help all, love all," he said in a loud voice. His friends looked at him in surprise, but the Guru said, "Dear friends, what other trade can be better than helping these hungry men? Let us go and buy food with this money for our hungry brothers." So the three friends went back to the nearest town. They bought food and milk. Then they brought it to the jungle and served it to the hungry men. The saints enjoyed the food very much. They thanked the Guru a lot.
Now the Guru had no money in his pocket. He could not trade without money. So he and his friends went back to their village. The Guru's father was very happy to see his son back. He thought Nanak had made a lot of money by trade. He called him to his side and asked, "Did you do any trade?"
"Yes father, I did the best trade I could," replied Nanak.
"How much money did you earn?" asked his father.
"Not a penny," answered the Guru.
His father was very angry and surprised at these words.
"Don't be a fool. Tell me, what did you do with the money?"
said his father, red with anger.
"I spent the money to feed twenty hungry men. What other trade can be better than this, dear father?" said the Guru.
