The King and the Wise Man

In a kingdom far away, known for its golden temples and lush green gardens, lived a King named Raja Vikram. Raja Vikram was rich and powerful. He had chests full of gold coins, stables full of fine horses, and a palace that touched the clouds. But Raja Vikram was not satisfied. He always wondered, “What is the most valuable thing in life?” He asked his ministers. “Gold!” said the Treasurer. “Land!” said the General. “Power!” said the Prince. But the King felt these answers were not quite right.

One day, he heard about a Wise Old Man who lived in a small hut at the edge of the forest. The King rode to the hut. He found the Wise Man tending to his vegetable garden. “O Wise One,” said the King. “I have a question. What is the most valuable thing in the world?” The Old Man smiled, his eyes twinkling. “That is a simple question, Your Majesty. It is Knowledge.”

The King frowned. “Knowledge? But I can buy anything with my gold. Can knowledge buy me a palace?” The Wise Man wiped his hands on a cloth. “Come with me,” he said gently. “Let us take a walk.”

They walked to the bustling marketplace. It was a hot day. The air smelled of spices and ripe fruit. The Wise Man stopped at a fruit stall. He picked up a strange, bumpy fruit that the King had never seen before. It was green and spiky. “Your Majesty,” said the Wise Man. “Eat this.” The King looked at the fruit. “It looks ugly and sharp. It probably tastes terrible.” He refused to touch it. “Trust me,” said the Wise Man. He cut the fruit open. Inside, the flesh was creamy white and smelled like sweet honey. “This is a Custard Apple,” explained the Old Man. The King took a bite. “Delicious!” he exclaimed. “It is the sweetest thing I have ever tasted!”

“You see?” said the Wise Man. “A moment ago, you thought it was terrible because you judged it by its look. You did not have the knowledge of what was inside. Without knowledge, you would have missed this sweetness, even if you offered a thousand gold coins for it.”

The King nodded slowly. “Gold can buy a book,” continued the Wise Man, “but it cannot buy understanding. Gold can buy medicine, but it cannot buy the skill to heal. Gold can be stolen, but knowledge stays with you forever.”

The King realized his mistake. He bowed to the Old Man. “You are right,” said the King. “I have been collecting things, but I should have been collecting wisdom.” From that day on, King Vikram built schools and libraries in his kingdom. He learned that while gold makes you rich, knowledge makes you wise, and wisdom is the true treasure of life.

Moral of the Story: Knowledge is the only treasure that grows when you share it. Wisdom is more valuable than gold.

Moral of the Story: Wisdom is more valuable than gold.