The Weight of Gold

In a small, quiet village lived a woodcutter named Arul. Arul was very poor, often struggling to provide even a simple meal for his little sister, Meera. One afternoon, while walking through the dense forest, Arul spotted a leather pouch lying near an old oak tree. When he opened it, his eyes widened—it was filled with shimmering gold coins. For a moment, a thought flashed through his mind: 'With this, Meera could have new clothes, and we would never be hungry again.' But then, he remembered his father's words: 'Wealth earned through dishonesty is a heavy burden on the soul.' He realized the gold belonged to someone else, and taking it would be a sin. Despite his hunger, Arul chose to take the pouch to the village headman. The village headman was so impressed by Arul's honesty that he rewarded him with a small sum of money. While Arul remained a simple man, he slept peacefully every night, knowing his conscience was clear. He realized that a stomach filled with honest bread is better than a feast earned through deceit.