Once, a king and his ministers were visiting a faraway village. On the way, the king took shelter under a mango tree. The tree was loaded with ripe mangoes. Suddenly, a stone hit him directly on the forehead. The royal guards found an old lady near by. “Did you throw any stones just now?” asked the guards. “Yes, I threw a stone at the mango tree,” answered the old lady. She was arrested and taken to the king. She saw blood oozing out from a wound on the king’s forehead and was very upset. “Did you throw a stone at me?” asked the king. “I threw it at the mango tree, Your Majesty.” “Why?” asked the king. “My child hasn’t eaten for two days, Your Majesty,” cried the old lady. “I threw the stone to get a mango for my starving child. It hit your forehead instead, Your Majesty. Please forgive me.” The king understood what had happened and forgave the old lady.
The Virtue of Forgiveness
