Short Stories » The Stranger in the Garden

The Stranger in the Garden

Once upon a time, there was a man who had a big garden. He had planted many fruit trees and cared for them till they bore fruits. Now he wanted to harvest the fruits and sell them to make money for his family.

One fine day, while picking the fruits with his son, the man saw a stranger sitting on the branch of a tree and picking fruits. The man became angry and shouted, “Hey you! What are you doing on my tree? Aren’t you ashamed of stealing?”

The stranger sitting on the branch looked at the gardener, but didn’t reply, and continued picking the fruits. The gardener was very angry and shouted again, “For a whole year I have taken care of these trees. You have no right to take the fruits without my permission. So come down at once!”

The stranger on the tree answered, “Why should I come down? This is the garden of God and I am the servant of God, so I have the right to pick these fruits. You should not interfere with the work of God and his servant.”

The gardener was very surprised at this answer and thought of a plan. He told the stranger to come down from the tree. As the stranger climbed down the tree, the gardener tied him to the tree and began beating him with a stick. The stranger began to scream, “Why are you beating me? You have no right to do this.”

The gardener paid no attention and continued beating him. The stranger screamed, “Don’t you fear God? You are beating an innocent man. The gardener answered, “Why should I fear? This wood in my hand belongs to God and I am the servant of God. You shouldn’t interfere with the work of God and his servant.”

The stranger hesitated and then spoke, “Wait. Don’t beat me, I am sorry for taking the fruits. This

is your garden and I should seek your permission before taking the fruits. So, please forgive me and set me free.” The gardener smiled and said, “Don’t use God’s name to justify your ill-conceived actions.”

Then the gardener untied him and let him go free.

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Stranger In The Garden - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

Always be honest and courageous, just like the gardener who faced the stranger with kindness and bravery.

Stranger In The Garden - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

Always seek help from trusted adults if you feel scared or uncertain, just like the boy did when he thought there was a stranger in the garden.

Stranger In The Garden - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

Always show kindness and empathy towards others, even those you don't know, because you might make a positive difference in their lives.

3 Fun Facts

• The animals in the children's garden could talk, which was a magical secret only the children knew.
• A mysterious gardener visited the garden, who turned out to be an expert at growing unusual and colorful plants.
• The children and the animals discovered that the gardener was actually a wizard who used his magic to make the garden more beautiful.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What did Joey find in the garden that made him curious?
• Who did Joey decide to ask for help in solving the mystery of the garden?
• How did Joey feel when he discovered the identity of the stranger in the garden?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• Who were playing in the garden when they heard a mysterious sound coming from the bushes?
• What did the children discover when they investigated the strange noise in the garden?
• How did the situation in the garden change after the children found the source of the sound?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What unusual event does Emily experience while working in her grandmother's garden?
• How does Emily's perception of the mysterious figure change over the course of the story?
• What lesson does Emily learn about the value of friendship by the end of the story?