The King and the Three Ministers: A Lesson in Action

The King and the Three Ministers: A Lesson in Action

BY: Ubaid.

Long ago, in a land ruled by a wise and compassionate king, there lived a people who admired their ruler deeply. He was known for his generosity, fairness, and commitment to the welfare of his subjects. One day, the king decided to build a grand road that would connect his capital to the farthest corner of his kingdom — a stretch of one hundred kilometers that would make travel and trade easier for all.

After months of hard work, sweat, and dedication from countless laborers, the road was finally complete. It was smooth, wide, and beautifully constructed — a masterpiece of the kingdom’s craftsmanship. The king was proud of this achievement and eager to ensure that every inch of it reflected perfection.

When the time came for the grand opening ceremony, the king called upon his three most trusted ministers. He said to them kindly,
“Before we inaugurate this great road, I wish for you three to travel along it and examine it carefully. Tell me honestly if there remains any fault or imperfection. I want this to be the best road ever built in our land.”

The ministers bowed respectfully and set out to inspect the newly constructed road.


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The First Minister

By evening, the first minister returned to the palace. His clothes were spotless, his face calm and composed. Bowing before the king, he spoke confidently,
“Your Majesty, the road is magnificent! It has been built with great care and skill. However, I noticed a small pile of litter at one place. If that is removed, the beauty of the road will be flawless.”

The king nodded silently and thanked him for his observation.


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The Second Minister

Shortly after, the second minister entered the court. Like the first, he too appeared neat and fresh, without a sign of fatigue.
“Your Majesty,” he began, “the road is truly splendid. Yet, I must point out the same thing as my colleague — a small heap of rubbish has been left at one point. If someone were to remove it, the entire road would look perfect and beyond criticism.”

The king again nodded, showing no expression but quietly taking note of his words.


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The Third Minister

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the third minister finally appeared. But unlike the others, he looked utterly exhausted. His clothes were covered in dust, his face glistened with sweat, and his hands held a large, heavy bag.

The king raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
“Why do you look so tired?” he asked gently. “And what is that you’re carrying?”

The minister bowed deeply and replied humbly,
“Your Majesty, as I traveled along the road, I too noticed that pile of litter. It was spoiling the beauty of such a wonderful creation. So, I stopped my horse, cleaned it up myself, and cleared the path. While doing so, I found this bag lying near the rubbish. I thought someone might have forgotten it there, so I brought it back to you.”

The king smiled — not a small smile, but one full of admiration and wisdom.

He looked at the three ministers standing before him and then turned to address the third.
“My dear minister,” he said warmly, “that litter you found on the road was not placed there by accident — I ordered it myself. And the bag you found was also part of the test. It is filled with gold coins. Take it, for it is your reward.”

The two other ministers were astonished. The king’s face turned serious as he stood and spoke in a firm yet gentle voice that echoed across the hall.


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The King’s Lesson

“Listen carefully,” the king began. “All of you saw the same fault — a small pile of rubbish. Two of you noticed it and spoke of it. Only one of you acted. You see, it is easy to point out flaws. It is easy to criticize. Everyone desires that everything around them should be perfect, but few take the step to make it so.”

He paused, letting his words sink in.

“Many people dream of a better world, a cleaner city, or a stronger kingdom. But dreams and desires alone change nothing. Real progress comes only when we act — when we take responsibility instead of waiting for others to do it. If we truly wish for our country to prosper, each of us must be willing to play our part, however small it may seem.”

The court fell silent. The two ministers lowered their heads in shame, realizing the depth of the king’s wisdom. The third minister, though still humble, felt a quiet pride in having done the right thing without being told.

The king placed his hand on the minister’s shoulder and said with a smile,
“Your reward is not the gold, but the honor of being a man of action. You have shown what true service means — not in words, but in deeds.”


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From that day onward, the story of the “Three Ministers and the Road” became a legend across the land. People repeated it to their children, teachers told it to their students, and elders reminded the young that real change begins not with complaints, but with courage and action.

And the king’s words remained timeless — a lesson for generations:
“Everyone wants things to be better, but only those who act make them so. To build a brighter future, we must first change ourselves.”


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Moral:

It’s easy to see what’s wrong. It’s harder to fix it. But if we truly want to build a beautiful nation — or a beautiful world — the first step begins with us.