Avariciousness -

Silas entered the woods with a giant, empty chest strapped to his back. As he traveled deeper, he found small trinkets: a silver comb here, a jeweled ring there. Though his goal was the branch, his avarice wouldn't let him leave even a single silver pin behind. He stuffed the chest until his knees buckled.

As the sun began to set, Silas realized the choice: he could abandon the heavy chest and crawl out with his life, or stay and be crushed by his own collection. He looked at the gold, then at the silver, and then at the shimmering branch. He couldn't bring himself to let go of even one coin. avariciousness

Literature and folklore often use specific archetypes to warn against this vice: Silas entered the woods with a giant, empty

: Greed for more often leads to losing what you already have, like the fable of the Greedy Dog who drops his bone to snap at his own reflection. He stuffed the chest until his knees buckled

: True avarice is characterized by an insatiable desire to increase wealth rather than use it for pleasure or purpose.

If you tell me what you're looking for, I can provide more: A classic fable (like Aesop)? A modern-day corporate cautionary tale? A religious parable ?