Short Stories » The Proud Red Rose

The Proud Red Rose

One beautiful spring day a red rose blossomed in a forest. As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, “What a beautiful flower! I wish I was that lovely.” Another tree said, “Dear pine, do not be sad. We cannot have everything.”

The rose turned and remarked, “It seems that I am the most beautiful flower in this forest.”

A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, “Why do you say that? In this forest there are many beautiful flowers. You are just one of them.”

The red rose replied, “I see everyone looking at me and admiring me.” Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, “Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!”

The pine tree said, “Red rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is? You have thorns too.”

The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, “I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You cannot compare my thorns to that of the cactus.”

“What a proud flower,” thought the trees.

The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things, like ‘this plant is useless. How sorry I am to be his neighbor.’

The cactus never got upset and even tried to advise the rose, saying, “God did not create any form of life without a purpose.”

Spring passed, and the weather became very warm. Life became difficult in the forest, as there was no rain. The red rose began to wilt.

One day the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed. This was puzzling, and the red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds were getting water from the cactus.

“Does it not hurt when they make holes?” asked the rose.

“Yes, but the cactus does not like to see the birds suffer,” replied the pine.

The rose opened its eyes in wonder and exclaimed, “The cactus has water?”

“Yes, you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help.”

The red rose felt too ashamed to ask for water from the cactus, but finally it did ask for help. The cactus kindly agreed. The birds filled their beaks with water and watered the rose’s roots.

Thus the rose learned a lesson and never judged anyone by their appearance again.

Proud Red Rose - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

It's important to be kind and appreciate others, just like the proud red rose learned to value its kind neighbor, the cactus.

Proud Red Rose - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

It's important to appreciate everyone’s unique qualities, just like the proud red rose learned to value its own beauty and the cactus's ability to provide water.

Proud Red Rose - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

Even the most beautiful and admired among us should value kindness and appreciate the unique qualities of others.

3 Fun Facts

• The proud red rose thought it was the most beautiful in the garden, but the cactus beside it had something special to offer—a source of water.
• Despite the rose's arrogance, the plants around it, including the cactus, showed kindness and helped it survive during a dry spell by giving it water.
• The rose learned an important lesson about sharing and humility, realizing that beauty alone doesn't make one valuable or respected.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What was the Red Rose proud of in the garden?
• Which plant did the Red Rose refuse to be friends with?
• What did the Red Rose learn about true beauty by the end of the story?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What made the proud red rose different from the other flowers in the garden?
• How did the cactus help the red rose during the dry season?
• What lesson did the red rose learn by the end of the story?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What did the proud red rose initially think of the surrounding plants in the garden?
• How did the humble cactus respond when the red rose mocked it for being thistle-like?
• What significant change happens in the garden, allowing the red rose to learn an important lesson about kindness and empathy?