In a peaceful village lived a young boy named Kathir. He loved gardening more than anything. His friend, Somu, lived nearby. One day, an old traveler gave Kathir a special seed, saying, 'If you care for this with honesty, it will bear fruit that brings joy to many.' Kathir planted the seed, but a greedy thought began to grow in his mind. He thought, 'If these fruits are as wonderful as they say, I will keep them all for myself and pretend I have none, so no one else can enjoy them.'
As the plant grew, it produced beautiful, shimmering fruits. Kathir became very protective. When a hungry traveler passed by and asked for a fruit, Kathir lied, saying, 'The plant is dead.' When Somu asked to taste one, Kathir claimed, 'The fruits are all bitter and rotten.' Even though he had plenty of fruit, Kathir felt a strange heaviness in his heart. He couldn't sleep peacefully because he was always worried about being caught.
Then, a heavy storm hit the village. In his rush to hide his 'secret' stash of fruit, Kathir tripped and spilled them into the mud. By the next morning, the fruits he had tried to hoard through deception had all rotted away. Not only did he lose the fruit, but the villagers also realized his dishonesty, and they stopped trusting him. Kathir sat alone, realizing that the greed he had nurtured had only produced bitterness and sorrow. He learned that wealth gained through deceit is a burden, not a blessing.
