Short Stories » True Wealth
True Wealth
Once upon a time, there lived a very rich and wealthy man in a big town. He led a luxurious life. He always boasted about his wealth to his friends and relatives.
His son was studying in a distant city and he returned home for vacation. The rich man wanted to show off to his son how rich he was. But his son wasn’t fond of any luxurious lifestyle. However, the rich man wanted to make his son realize that his lifestyle was extremely rich and that poor people suffered a lot. He planned a day’s visit to the entire town to show him the life of the poor people.
The father and the son took a chariot and visited the entire town. They returned home after two days. The father was happy that his son was very quiet after seeing the poor people honouring the rich man and after witnessing the sufferings of the poor due to lack of facilities.
The rich man asked his son, “Dear boy, how was the trip? Have you enjoyed it?”
“Yes my dad, it was a great trip with you,” the son replied.
“So, what did you learn from the trip?” the father asked.
The son was silent.
“Finally you have realized how the poor suffer and how they actually live,” said the father.
“No father,” replied the son. He added, “We have only two dogs, they have 10 dogs. We have a big pool in our garden, but they have a massive bay without any end! We have luxurious and expensive lights imported from various countries, but they have countless stars lighting their nights. We have a house on a small piece of land, but they have abundant fields that go beyond the horizon. We are protected by huge and strong walls around our property, but they bond with each other and surround themselves with their fellow beings. We have to buy food from them, but they are so rich that they can cultivate their own food.”
The rich father was stunned and speechless, on hearing his son’s words.
Finally the son added, “Dad, thank you so much for showing me who is rich and who is poor. Thank you for letting me understand how poor we really are!”
Moral: True wealth is not in material possessions, but in the richness of life, relationships, and the ability to live simply and harmoniously.
Watch the story video ↴
True Wealth - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3
Real wealth is not just having a lot of things. It’s about being happy with what you have and valuing nature, people, and simple joys.
True Wealth - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6
This story teaches that material possessions and luxury aren’t the true measure of wealth. True richness comes from living a fulfilling and connected life.
True Wealth - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9
The story encourages us to think about what we truly value—relationships, nature, and self-sufficiency—rather than focusing on material wealth that often leads to emptiness.
3 Fun Facts on True Wealth for Children
- The story shows the difference between wealth that can be bought and wealth that comes from living in harmony with others and nature.
- The son's perspective in the story highlights the importance of appreciating what we have instead of comparing ourselves to others.
- True wealth is an idea that many philosophers and thinkers have discussed for centuries, showing that this story shares timeless wisdom.
True Wealth Quiz for Class 1,2,3
- What did the rich man want to show his son during their trip?
- What did the son learn from seeing the lives of the poor people?
- How did the son describe the poor people’s life compared to his family’s life?
True Wealth Quiz for Class 4,5,6
- What did the son say about the difference between his family’s life and the poor people’s life?
- How did the rich father feel after hearing his son’s perspective on wealth?
- What lesson do you think the son wanted to teach his father?
True Wealth Quiz for Class 7,8,9
- Why does the son believe the poor people are wealthier than his family?
- How does this story challenge the common idea of what it means to be rich?
- Can you think of other examples from real life where people have simple lives but are actually wealthier in terms of happiness or relationships?