The Wise Old Man and the Gift
Iqra Aslam
Once in a small village, there lived a wise old man named Ahmed. Everyone respected him for his kindness and wisdom. One day, a young boy named Ali decided to visit Ahmed with a gift. He picked some beautiful flowers from his garden and excitedly ran to Ahmed's house.When Ali arrived, Ahmed welcomed him warmly. Ali handed over the flowers and said, These are for you, Ahmed.Ahmed smiled, took the flowers, and said, Thank you, Ali. These are beautiful.Ali felt proud and happy that Ahmed liked his gift. Ahmed put the flowers in a vase and placed them on the table.Later that day, a few villagers gathered at Ahmed's house to seek his advice. One of them noticed the flowers and said, These flowers don't smell very nice. Why did you keep them?Ahmed gently replied, Ali brought these flowers with so much love and excitement. His feelings matter more than the flowers themselves. By accepting them, I honored his kindness.The villagers nodded, understanding the lesson Ahmed was teaching. Ali, overhearing the conversation, learned the value of kindness and thoughtfulness.From that day on, the villagers remembered Ahmed's wisdom: it’s the thought and effort behind a gift that truly matters, not its material value.