January 27, 2004
Here is an amusing story from the other side of the world. It seems a diamond trader in India's western state of Gujarat lost 1722 diamonds...inside a cow.
Sifting daily through the cow's dung, Mohabbatsinh Gohil said that so far he had recovered only 555 of his precious stones.
"At the rate at which the cow is discharging my diamonds, it should take another 30 days to get them all back," said an exasperated Gohil in the town of Limdi, Surendranagar district.
How did the diamonds get inside the cow, you ask?
Gohils packet of diamonds, worth about 45,000 rupees (about $US1000) was munched up by the cow after he accidently dropped it in the street.
The trader has vowed to keep up his daily task of searching through the cow's dung until he has recovered all his gems, but a veterinarian advising him says he is being too optimistic.
Gohil may know about diamonds, but the Vet knows cows:
"Even though Gohil has succeeded in making the cow s--- out some of his diamonds, he will not be able to get all of them back," said the vet, A.S. Manvar.
As Gohil tries to coax diamonds from the precious cow, the pair have become a public attraction.
"The cow is a ruminant animal which has its stomach divided in four compartments. It is impossible to recover all the diamonds," he said.
Meanwhile, the cow has become a centre of attraction for people in Limdi, who flock around it every day waiting for it to drop its offerings to the waiting Gohil.
Very amusing but not entirely original. The story of the Goose that laid Golden Eggs has been told for generations. (Although the version I heard of that story sounded much more sanitary than this one.)
I'm also thinking that all the noteriety he is receiving will hurt him in the end (no pun intended). Once he is finished recovering the diamonds from Bessy, do you really think anyone will actually want to buy diamonds from him?
