In a small, quiet village lived a young boy named Kannan. His family was very poor, and some days were harder than others. One afternoon, his mother fell ill, and there was no food left in the house. Driven by hunger, Kannan went to a neighbor's house to ask for a little rice. However, the neighbor, busy with his own work, said, 'I'm sorry, Kannan, I don't have any extra right now. Please come back later.'
Kannan felt a surge of anger. 'Why are you always like this?' he shouted. 'Don't you see that we are starving?' An elderly man sitting nearby heard the commotion and gently called Kannan over. 'Listen, child,' the old man said. 'When you ask for help, you are placing yourself in a position of need. If someone cannot give, getting angry will not fill your stomach; it will only hurt your dignity. Your poverty is already a heavy burden; do not add the weight of anger to it.'
Kannan looked down, feeling ashamed. He realized that his anger wouldn't bring him food, but it would push people away. He quietly thanked the neighbor and walked away. A few minutes later, a kind lady saw his sad face and offered him a warm meal. Kannan learned that dignity is more important than anger when asking for help.
