🌟 The Power of Truth

A short story featuring Sarfaraz

Once upon a time, in a quiet village surrounded by dense forest, lived a boy named Sarfaraz. He was a kind-hearted and honest twelve-year-old who helped his mother gather firewood every weekend. One afternoon, Sarfaraz went deeper into the forest than usual in search of dry wood. The forest, lush and green, seemed endless, and in his excitement, he didn’t realize how far he had wandered.

As the sun began to set and the shadows grew longer, Sarfaraz looked around and noticed something wasn’t right—he couldn’t find the path back home. He tried to retrace his steps, but every tree and bush looked the same. Panic set in.

“Am I lost?” he whispered to himself, clutching the basket of sticks tightly.

The forest grew darker. Strange sounds echoed around him—owls hooting, leaves rustling, distant howls. Sarfaraz walked cautiously, calling out for help, but there was no answer. Just as tears welled up in his eyes, he noticed a faint golden glow coming from behind a thick wall of trees.

Curious but cautious, he pushed through the branches and found himself in front of a large stone cave. Above the entrance was a glowing inscription carved into rock. It read:

“Only those who speak the truth may enter.”

Sarfaraz stared at the message. “A magical cave?” he thought. “Is this real?”

He hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and said aloud:

“I am Sarfaraz. I am honest. I always try to tell the truth.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the massive stone door of the cave slowly began to open with a rumble. His eyes widened in awe. Inside, the cave sparkled with golden light. Treasure chests were piled high, filled with shining coins, gemstones, and ornaments. But Sarfaraz didn’t run toward them. Instead, he stood still, overwhelmed.

He noticed a sign inside the cave that said:

“Take only what you truly need. Greed will close this cave forever.”

Sarfaraz thought deeply. He remembered his mother’s struggles, their small home, and how one gold coin could help them buy food, medicine, and maybe even fix the leaky roof. He stepped forward and picked up just one single gold coin.

As soon as he held it in his hand, a warm light surrounded him. A calm voice echoed through the cave:

“You have proven your truth and honesty. You may now return safely.”

Before Sarfaraz could ask anything, the ground gently shifted, and a soft wind swirled around him. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing at the edge of his village, just a few steps away from his home.

He ran to his mother and hugged her tightly. With teary eyes, he showed her the gold coin and told her the entire story.

His mother smiled and said, “My dear Sarfaraz, it was your truth that guided you home. Always hold onto it.”

From that day on, Sarfaraz was known not just as a brave boy, but as a symbol of truth in the entire village. People would often visit his home to hear his story and to remind their children of one simple but powerful lesson:

“Truth opens doors that lies never can.”

🧠 Moral of the Story:

Honesty may not always be easy, but it leads to the right path — sometimes even to places you could never imagine.

Years later, when Sarfaraz grew up, he became a wise leader of the village. Whenever someone faced difficulty, he would remind them of his childhood journey — how a single act of honesty changed his life forever. His story was passed from generation to generation, not as a myth, but as a living example of the magic that lies in speaking the truth