The Golden Seed: A Tale of Kindness Over Greed
In a village named Jati lived a merchant named Dhruv. He was a rarity of his time, a rich man renowned for his kindness. He was always careful of his actions, making sure his business was honest, his help generous, and his conduct pure. On the other hand, the village chief, Badri, was the opposite. They clashed often without surrendering their principles.
One day, a beggar asked Dhruv and Badri for help, presenting them with a golden seed. The beggar told them to plant the seed and that it would grow into a golden tree if nurtured with kindness.
Badri, blinded by greed, quickly snatched the golden seed and promised to care for it. Dhruv, disappointed, watched as Badri hastily planted the seed in the center of his garden, where everyone could see it. However, Badri's way of nurturing was nurturing his greed. He went ahead and fenced the garden, charging people to view the golden seed.
Days turned into weeks, but the seed showed no sign of growth. Out of frustration, Badri returned to his routine, demeaning the needy and being mean to his fellow villagers. The golden seed, a symbol of limitless wealth, was now an emblem of Badri's declining reputation.
Meanwhile, Dhruv continued to live his life humbly. One day, he was surprised to see the beggar at his doorstep with another golden seed. He instructed Dhruv as before and disappeared without a trace. Dhruv was taken aback but hastily planted the seed in his small backyard.
He took care of the seed, talking to it, pouring his love and kindness onto it. He never charged anyone for viewing it and in fact shared their combined hope for the golden tree. Weeks passed and to Dhruv's delight, a small sapling sprouted from the seed.
Badri heard the news of the seed growth and was humiliated beyond belief. He demanded the seed from Dhruv, but the humble merchant refused, offering instead a handful of golden leaves from the now growing golden tree in his backyard. He advised Badri to use these leaves wisely and spread kindness like he always did.
Months later, the once admired and feared village chief was now a mere joke amongst the villagers, while Dhruv, the humble merchant, was now a beacon of hope. His golden tree was a spectacle, glittering in the heart of the village, a symbol of what kindness could yield.
The villagers learned an invaluable lesson about kindness and greed. They learned that kindness grows beautiful trees with golden leaves, while greed only sows seeds of discontent and humiliation. The village of Jati was forever changed.
However, Dhruv was not satisfied. He yearned to spread the lesson learned from the golden seed. He travelled to distant lands, trading golden leaves and spreading the story of the golden tree. Everywhere he went, the tale of the golden seed flowed from mouth to mouth, becoming an age-old story told to teach children about the importance of kindness over greed.
Thus, Dhruv, the humble merchant from a little village named Jati, became a legend, known far and wide for his golden seed and the golden tree that taught love, kindness, and humility to the world.