In a small Indian village, a huge mango tree stood beside a pond. Children often played under it, and travellers rested in its shade. Among them was Raju, a curious boy who loved climbing the tree to pick ripe mangoes.
One summer, a wealthy merchant visited the village. Seeing the tall tree full of golden mangoes, he told the villagers, ‘Cut it down, and I will pay you handsomely for the wood.’ Many villagers were tempted. They argued that the money would help repair the broken road and build a new well. Raju, however, felt uneasy. He knew the tree had given them fruit, shade, and comfort for generations.
That night, Raju gathered the children and elders under the tree. ‘If we cut the tree for quick money, we lose something priceless,’ he said. ‘This tree feeds us every year. It shelters birds and cools our summers. If we care for it, it will give us more than money ever can.’
The villagers realised he was right. The next morning, they politely refused the merchant’s offer. Instead, they cleaned the pond and planted more trees around it.
Moral: Short-term profit should never destroy long-term blessings. Protecting nature protects our future.
