Short Stories » The Figs and Gold Coins

The Figs and Gold Coins

Once upon a time, there lived a wise and witty old man. He was so courageous and fond of nature. He celebrated his 100th birthday with his entire family. He had an amazing habit of planting a tree every year on his birthday. He used to plant a variety of flower bearing trees and fruit bearing trees. He was having a massive garden in his home. To celebrate the century, he planted a fig plant, his most favorite fruit.

The emperor who passed by his home was surprised to see this old man planting a fig tree. He asked his soldier to bring the old man to his court and enquired him!

‘ Dear old man, I was pleased and surprised as you were planting a fig tree! I wish you could have planted the fig tree when you were young. I guess you are now in your 90s and there is no hope that you shall taste the fruits from this tree ’

The old man replied, ‘My Lord, yes I knew it. I’m 100 years old now. I just planted the fig tree to celebrate by 100th birthday. And this is not the first tree I’m planting. I have planted more than 1000 trees in my whole life! I still have faith and hope that I shall live for a minimum of 10 years to taste the fruits borne by this tree after a decade. If not, I will let my tree to be enjoyed by my family! ’

The emperor was happy and hugged the old man. He said, ‘You are such an adorable person. Just come back to me if you are alive after years with a basket of figs. I would love to see you again!’

The old man thanked the emperor and left the place.

After a decade, the fig tree started to ripe fruits. The old man was happy and tasted the first ripen fruit. It was very delicious. The old man recalled the king’s words and picked the choicest fruits, filled a basked and carried to the palace.

The king was informed that an old man came with a basket of figs. The king recalled the words he uttered to the old man and happily welcomed him. He enjoyed the figs provided by the old man. The king ordered his minister to fill the basket with gold coins and asked his soldiers to drop the old man to his home. The old man was happy!

Hard work and hope will always be honored.

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The Figs And Gold Coins - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

Treasure kindness and responsibility, just like the wise son who chose figs over gold and found happiness.

The Figs And Gold Coins - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

Sharing and valuing friendships can lead to unexpected rewards and happiness in our lives.

The Figs And Gold Coins - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

Even the smallest acts of kindness, like sharing figs, can lead to surprising rewards, such as gold coins, in unexpected ways.

3 Fun Facts

• The story is about a king who hides gold coins inside figs to teach a greedy man a lesson about appreciating the simple things in life.
• The greedy man initially dismisses the figs as worthless and doesn't discover the hidden coins until he decides to use the figs for what they are meant for.
• Through this tale, the story highlights the themes of gratitude and never underestimating the value of seemingly ordinary things.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What did Akbar give to Birbal as a strange gift in the story?
• Why did Birbal pretend to be sad and poor when he was living in the hut?
• How did Birbal prove to everyone that he was wise and clever after receiving the figs?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What did the old man ask for in return when he offered the hungry traveler some figs from his tree?
• How did the traveler finally discover the hidden treasure of gold coins?
• What lesson did the traveler learn from the experience with the fig tree and the gold coins?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What circumstance led Najib to devise a plan to test the wisdom and gratefulness of the villagers?
• How did the villagers initially react to the discovery of gold coins inside the figs after Najib left the village?
• What lesson did the villagers learn from Najib's gift of figs and gold coins?