In a lush green valley lived two brothers, Kavi and Rishi. Kavi was a gentle soul who found joy in the smallest things, like a blooming flower or a cool breeze. Rishi, on the other hand, was never satisfied. He always looked at what others had and wanted even more.
Their father, a wise farmer, knew it was time to pass on his land. He called them together one evening. "My sons, the time has come for you to manage this farm. I want you to decide how to divide it."
Kavi smiled and said, "Father, whatever you decide is enough for me. I am happy with what we have."
Rishi frowned, "I want the largest portion of the land, Father. I want to be the greatest farmer in the valley!"
The father decided to teach them a lesson. "Very well. We shall have a walk. At sunrise, you both will start walking from this gate. You may walk as far as you wish. When the sun sets, you must return to this spot. The distance you cover on foot will be the land you own. But remember, you must walk barefoot."
As the day progressed, the sun climbed high. Kavi walked steadily. By midday, he looked around and felt a sense of peace. "I have walked far enough to sustain my family. There is no need to push further," he thought. He turned around and walked back home calmly.
Rishi, however, was driven by greed. "If I walk just one more mile, I will own the whole valley!" he told himself. He ignored the heat and the stones pressing into his feet. Even as the shadows grew long and the sun began to dip below the horizon, Rishi kept moving further away.
When the sun finally disappeared, Kavi was sitting by the fire with his father. Rishi was nowhere to be seen. Much later, a tired and exhausted Rishi limped back, far past the sunset time. He had walked so far that he could not make it back to the gate in time.
The father looked at Rishi with sadness. "Kavi, because you knew when to be content, you shall receive the heart of our lands. Rishi, because you chased shadows and ignored your limits, you will only receive the small patch of land you managed to return from."
Rishi realized that his endless hunger for more had actually left him with less.
Moral
Contentment is the greatest wealth.
