THE WISE BOY.

In a prosperous kingdom, a king grew old and began searching for someone wise enough to become his adviser. He invited all the village children to the palace and presented them with a challenge.

Holding up a small seed, the king said, "Plant this seed and return in three months with the finest plant. The child with the best plant will become my adviser."

The children eagerly planted their seeds. They watered them, cared for them, and waited.

Among them was a boy named Tunde. He followed every instruction carefully, but weeks passed and nothing grew. He changed the soil, watered it gently, and placed it in sunlight, yet the pot remained empty.

As the day of judgment approached, Tunde felt embarrassed. The other children had beautiful flowers, tall plants, and colorful blossoms. Still, he decided to be honest and carried his empty pot to the palace.

When the king walked through the hall, he admired the plants but stopped when he reached Tunde.

"Why is your pot empty?" the king asked.

Tunde bowed his head. "Your Majesty, I cared for the seed as best as I could, but it never grew. I could not bring myself to replace it with another seed."

The king smiled.

Then he turned to the crowd and announced, "This boy is the winner!"

Everyone gasped.

The king continued, "The seeds I gave you were boiled. They could never grow. All these beautiful plants came from different seeds. Only Tunde had the courage to be honest."

That day, Tunde became the king's adviser.

For the king knew that wisdom is not merely knowledge—it is the courage to do what is right even when it is difficult.

Moral: A wise person values truth above appearances.