This is ATU 1430 Air Castles.
EATING THE SWEETMEATS OF FANCY
Story: Once a poor man had a jar of oil to convey from one place to another at a wage of four annas.
The man as usual took the jar on his head, and began to walk with it, amusing himself with his imaginings, as follows:
For the conveyance of this load I will get four annas, with which I will buy a hen, which will in due time produce eggs and chickens.
The sale of these will procure me a few rupees, which will enable me to purchase a herd of goats.
After this the sale of the goats and their kids will supply me with money sufficient to purchase and keep cows, the sale of which, with their offspring, will make me possessed of money to buy buffaloes and herd them.
The last occupation will give me money enough to marry.
When 1 get married I will have children who will call me, "Father dear, come and take your meal ;" then I shall reply. "No, no..."
Suiting his action to his words he shook his head, (by this time he had arrived at the shop where he had to deliver the load) and threw the jar on the ground and spilt the oil.
The owner of the oil began to blame the coolie for the loss of his oil. But the coolie said to the man to whom the oil belonged. "O my dear friend, alas! yon should not mourn over the oil, which is of very little value; for I have lost my family through the destruction of your oil."
On being asked what he meant, the coolie narrated the imaginary prospects which he had based on the four annas that he had to receive for carriage of the oil jar.
NOTES
Cf. "He that lives upon hopes will die fasting," and the story of Alnaschar in the "Arabian Nights."
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