✦An original tale of two honest neighbours
The Pot of Gold
Two farmers each insist that a buried treasure belongs to the other. Their generous disagreement grows into something the village can share.
A story to read together
The Pot of Gold
Take your time. Let the story unfold.
Mala sold a small unused field to her neighbour Arun. She needed more time to care for her orchard, and he hoped to grow vegetables closer to home. They agreed on the sale and shook hands. The next morning, while preparing the soil, Arun’s spade struck something hard. He carefully uncovered an old earthen pot. Inside lay a collection of dull gold coins.
A surprising discovery
Arun stopped working and carried the pot to Mala. “I bought a field, not a hidden treasure,” he said. “I think you should know what was in it.” Mala looked at the coins, astonished. “I did not know they were there,” she replied. “I sold you the land because I wanted you to use it. I do not want to take something you found.” They sat beneath a tree, each concerned that keeping the whole pot would be unfair to the other. Neither wanted their friendly agreement to become a quarrel.
An unusual disagreement
They asked an older neighbour, Leela, to help them talk it through. She listened while they explained the sale and the discovery. Rather than declaring a winner, she asked what each person actually wanted. Arun hoped for a useful field, a steady harvest, and a good relationship with Mala. Mala wanted her orchard to thrive and her neighbour to do well. They agreed to put the pot somewhere safe while they checked whether anyone else had a rightful claim. The answer would not be rushed merely because the coins shone.
A plan beyond the pot
After making the appropriate enquiries in their storybook village, the neighbours were able to decide together what to do with the treasure. “We could divide it,” Arun suggested. Mala agreed, then looked towards the village’s empty patch beside the well. Children often rested there on the way home from school. “What if we used a small part for fruit trees and seats?” she asked. Leela invited the villagers to discuss the idea. They chose trees suited to the place and made a clear plan for watering and caring for them.
The growing treasure
Arun and Mala kept an agreed share for their families and contributed another share to the little orchard. The village recorded how the money was used, and neighbours took turns caring for the young trees. It took patience before there was fruit to gather. Yet even the first small patches of shade brought people together. Years later, Mala and Arun could sit beneath the branches and remember their unusual disagreement. The pot had held a fixed number of coins. Their careful, generous decision had helped create a place where many good things could continue to grow.
The end
After the final page
There is no single right answer. Invite young readers to notice, wonder and imagine.
Why did Arun take the pot to Mala?
What did Leela ask before suggesting an answer?
How did the neighbours make sure their generous plan could be cared for over time?
Make something: Imagine a small shared gift for your community. Draw what it could provide, who would decide together, and how it would be looked after.
