The Selfless Prince: A Tale of Compassion and Generosity
In a faraway land, surrounded by mountains and lush green fields, there existed a beautiful kingdom. The people of this kingdom were known for their warmth, hard work, and dedication to their homeland. At the heart of the kingdom stood a grand palace, where the royal family lived. The heir to the throne was a young prince named Arin. Unlike many princes who reveled in their wealth and power, Arin was known throughout the land for his kindness, compassion, and selflessness.
From a young age, Prince Arin had been taught by his parents, the king and queen, that a true ruler serves their people, not the other way around. He took this lesson to heart and spent much of his time among the common folk, learning about their struggles, listening to their concerns, and helping them in any way he could. While his royal duties kept him busy, Arin made sure to always be present when his people needed him the most.
One year, however, disaster struck the kingdom. A terrible drought swept across the land, causing the rivers to dry up and the crops to fail. The once fertile fields turned barren, and the skies remained relentlessly clear, with not a single drop of rain in sight. As the months dragged on, the people of the kingdom began to suffer from a severe famine. Food supplies dwindled, and soon, many of the villagers were left with little to eat. The sight of children crying from hunger and families struggling to survive broke Prince Arin's heart.
The royal palace, however, was stocked with food. The royal granaries, built to withstand times of hardship, were filled with enough grain and provisions to sustain the royal family for many months. But as Prince Arin walked through the streets of his kingdom and saw the pain in the eyes of his people, he knew that he could not sit idly by while they suffered.
"We must open the royal granaries," Arin declared one morning during a meeting with his advisors. "The people are starving. We have more than enough food to share." His advisors, shocked by the prince’s suggestion, hesitated. They warned him that giving away the royal food supply would leave the palace vulnerable to shortages, especially if the famine continued. But Prince Arin was resolute.
"How can we live in comfort and luxury while our people starve?" he said firmly. "The well-being of the kingdom depends on its people, and if they suffer, so do we. The people come first, and I will not allow them to perish when we can help them."
Despite the protests of his advisors, Prince Arin gave the order to open the granaries. Over the next few days, the palace staff worked tirelessly to distribute food to the villagers. Families who had not eaten in days gratefully accepted the royal provisions, and the people of the kingdom praised their prince for his compassion and generosity. However, the situation continued to worsen. Despite their best efforts, the food supplies from the granaries began to run out, and the famine showed no signs of ending.
Weeks passed, and soon even the palace began to feel the effects of the famine. There was barely enough food left for the royal family themselves. The king and queen, deeply concerned for their son’s well-being, urged him to save what little food remained for the palace residents. "You have done more than enough for the people, Arin," the king said gently. "Now we must ensure that we, too, survive this hardship."
But Prince Arin, true to his selfless nature, refused. "If there is even one family in this kingdom that goes hungry, then I will not eat," he replied. "I will share what little we have left with my people. We are all in this together."
One day, as the kingdom teetered on the brink of disaster, a mysterious old man appeared at the gates of the palace. Dressed in ragged clothes, he asked to see Prince Arin, claiming to have traveled from a far-off land. The guards, wary of strangers during such a desperate time, hesitated, but when the old man insisted, they brought him before the prince.
"What can I do for you, kind traveler?" Prince Arin asked, his voice filled with warmth despite the hardships his kingdom faced.
"I have heard of your generosity and compassion, Prince Arin," the old man said, his voice steady but filled with a mysterious undertone. "I, too, am in need of food, and I come to ask if you would share what little you have left with a humble stranger."
Though his advisors once again urged him to reconsider, Prince Arin welcomed the old man into the palace and shared the last of the food with him. As they ate together, the old man watched the prince closely. He saw the exhaustion in Arin’s eyes, but also the unwavering kindness in his heart.
When the meal was finished, the old man smiled. "You have shown true compassion, Prince Arin," he said. "Many would have turned me away in times of such hardship, but you have proven that your heart is as generous as it is brave. For your selflessness, I will grant you a gift."
With those words, the old man revealed his true identity—he was not a simple traveler, but a powerful sorcerer who had been testing the prince's character. "Because of your kindness, I will lift this curse from your kingdom," the sorcerer said, raising his hands toward the sky. "From this moment forward, your people will know abundance, and your fields will once again flourish."
The very next morning, the kingdom awoke to a miraculous sight. The fields, which had been barren for months, were now lush with crops. The rivers, which had dried up, were once again flowing with fresh water. The famine was over, and the people of the kingdom rejoiced. Word of the prince’s selflessness spread far and wide, and he was hailed as a hero.
Moral of the Story
The moral of the story is: "Selflessness brings great rewards."