*Diamonds are costly because they are not found easily. Similarly, truth and honest men are not easily found. Read this story and find out ow a king punishes his untruthful minister.

In olden days at south India, there was a king. His name was Vikrama. He was a good ruler and he was a brave man. He was a good fighter. His capital was kurni city.

After some years the king was old and weak. “I am going to die soon,’’ he thought. “My son is young. I am going to find a good minister for him.’’

One day he called all his noblemen to his court and said to them, “ going to ask you a question. Please answer it honestly. Did I make any mistakes last year?’’

The noblemen said, “No, your majesty. You are like God. You did not make mistake.’’

The king smiled and gave a diamond to each of them. In one corner sat a nobleman. He heard the other noblemen’s replies, but he did not say anything. The king asked him, “what’s you’re your to my question?’’

The nobleman stood up and bowed. “You are a good king but you are a man and all men make mistakes’’.

`You are an honest man, my friend’’, said the king. “I am going to make you my son’s minister’’.

The next day the other noblemen came to the king. They bowed low before him and said, “you majesty, we would like to say most humbly that the diamonds you gave yesterday are false’’.

“I know’’, said the king. “They are as false as your answer to my question’’.

• Diamond: a very costly gem. So many types are there.
• Minister: a person who helps the king by giving advice. To show the right way.
• Honestly: speak truthfully, and work faithfully.
• Humbly: politely.

Image via Wikipedia