Here is a story “Honesty is the Best Policy: A Story About a Boy and the Apple Tree Who Learned His Lesson“. It is about a boy who learns a lesson about honesty.
Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved to eat apples. He lived near a big apple orchard, where he often went to pick the ripe fruits. He knew that the owner of the orchard was a kind man who allowed anyone to take some apples for free, as long as they asked for permission first.
One day, the boy was feeling hungry and decided to go to the orchard. He saw a big, red apple hanging from a branch of a tall tree. He wanted to eat it, but he was too lazy to ask for permission. He thought that the owner would not notice if he took just one apple without asking.
He climbed up the tree and reached for the apple. But as soon as he touched it, he heard a loud voice.
“Hey, you! What are you doing?” It was the owner of the orchard, who had seen him from afar.
The boy was scared and tried to hide behind the leaves. He hoped that the owner would not find him.
But the owner knew where he was. He walked towards the tree and shouted, “Come down here right now! You are stealing my apples!”
The boy felt ashamed and guilty. He knew that he had done wrong. He climbed down the tree and faced the owner.
“I’m sorry, sir,” he said. “I was hungry and I wanted to eat an apple. But I didn’t ask for your permission. Please forgive me.”
The owner looked at him sternly. He said, “You should have asked me first. I would have given you an apple gladly. But you chose to steal instead. That is dishonest and disrespectful. You have broken my trust and hurt my feelings.”
The boy felt sorry for what he had done. He said, “I’m really sorry, sir. I won’t do it again. Please give me another chance.”
The owner sighed and said, “Well, I’m glad that you are sorry. But sorry is not enough. You have to learn from your mistake and make up for it. You have to pay for the apple that you took.”
The boy nodded and said, “Yes, sir. I will pay for it. How much is it?”
The owner said, “It is not money that I want from you. It is something more valuable. It is your honesty.”
The boy was puzzled and asked, “What do you mean?”
The owner said, “I want you to promise me that you will never steal again. And I want you to keep your promise no matter what.”
The boy thought for a moment and realized that this was a fair deal. He said, “I promise you, sir. I will never steal again. And I will keep my promise no matter what.”
The owner smiled and said, “That’s good. I believe you. And I forgive you.”
He handed him the apple and said, “Here, take this apple. It is yours now. You have earned it with your honesty.”
The boy thanked him and took the apple. He felt happy and relieved.
He learned a valuable lesson that day: honesty is the best policy.
The End
Table Of Contents
Summary Of The Story “Honesty Is The Best Policy”
A boy steals an apple from an orchard without asking for permission. The owner catches him and teaches him a lesson about honesty. The boy apologizes and promises to never steal again. The owner forgives him and gives him the apple. The boy learns that honesty is the best policy.
Moral Of The Story
The moral of the story is that honesty is the best policy. It means that being honest and truthful is always better than being dishonest and deceitful. Honesty builds trust and respect, while dishonesty breaks them. Honesty also brings peace and happiness, while dishonesty brings trouble and guilt.
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