The Stone in the Road

The Stone in the Road

Long ago, in a small kingdom nestled between the hills, there lived a wise and fair king. He ruled his people with kindness and justice, and his kingdom flourished. But despite his efforts, the king noticed that many of his subjects often complained about problems, yet did little to fix them.

One day, the king decided to teach his people a lesson they would never forget.

He ordered a large stone to be placed in the middle of the main road that led into the city. It was a road used by merchants, travelers, and villagers every day. Then he hid nearby to watch what would happen.

The first to come along was a wealthy merchant. Riding his fine horse and dressed in elegant clothes, he saw the stone in the path and frowned.

“What a nuisance!” he muttered. “Who left this here?”

But instead of moving it, he simply steered his horse around it and rode off, grumbling under his breath about the laziness of the workers who maintained the road.

Next came a nobleman in a fancy carriage. When his coachman stopped to avoid the stone, the nobleman leaned out the window in irritation.

“Can’t anyone keep the roads clean?” he snapped. “This is disgraceful!”

He too passed around the stone and continued on his way.

One after another, villagers, soldiers, and townspeople came down the road. Some blamed the king, others blamed the road builders, but not one person stopped to move the stone.

Finally, as the sun began to set, a poor farmer named Ravi came along. He was tired, his clothes dusty, and he carried a basket of vegetables on his back to sell at the market.

When he saw the stone, he set down his basket and walked up to it.

“This stone could cause someone to get hurt,” Ravi said to himself. “Better to move it out of the way.”

He pushed, pulled, and strained, but the stone was heavy. Still, he didn’t give up. After much effort, he finally rolled the stone to the side of the road.

As he turned to pick up his basket, he noticed a small hole in the ground where the stone had been. Curious, he looked inside and found a cloth pouch. Opening it, he gasped. Inside were gold coins and a note written in fine script.

The note read:

“This gold is for the one who took the time and effort to move the stone from the road. Let this be a lesson: the obstacles we face are often opportunities in disguise.”

Ravi stared at the gold, speechless. He looked around, but there was no one in sight. With a grateful heart, he put the pouch in his basket and continued on his way, now smiling at the sunset.

Word of the king’s lesson spread quickly throughout the kingdom. People were humbled by the simple farmer’s act of responsibility. From that day on, whenever someone encountered a problem, instead of complaining, they asked themselves, “What can I do to fix this?”

The kingdom changed. Roads became cleaner, villages more united, and people more helpful to one another. The king had not only taught his people a lesson, but he had changed their hearts.

Moral of the Story:

Don’t wait for others to fix the problems you see—take the initiative. Obstacles are often opportunities in disguise.