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The Honesty is the Best Policy Story: Teaching Values Through Aesop’s Tale

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‘Do you know what the Moral of the Story is, kids?’

These words, uttered by Granny after her rendition of a classical fable, bring along with them loads of excitement!
While some children might have a sense of what the answer is, most are eager to find out what message the story Granny has just told them contains.

It’s true. Children are just as curious to find out what the moral of those endearing stories might be, as knowing what the ‘Fortune’ in their Fortune Cookie might be.
If there is one thing we know about Fortune Cookies, it’s that the truth they reveal is nothing short of a ‘fiction.’ A delightful fiction perhaps, but a fiction nonetheless.

In the case of that Story with a Moral, however, the truth they reveal is ‘crystal clear.’
Stories are the best way we can instill moral values in our kids. In this article, we will be presenting you with a Moral Story on Honesty. This ‘Honesty is the Best Policy Short Story’, is a Short Story on Honesty that packs a punch, where it comes to instilling the value of Honesty in children and adults alike.

Let’s face it. Honesty is something even we ‘adults’ need to constantly work on. If you’re looking for a Moral Story on Honesty to narrate to your kids, we believe that this is the Best Story on Honesty you need to hear right now!

Honesty is the Best Policy Short Story: A Short Story on Honesty

The following ‘Honesty is the Best Policy Story’, is the Best Story on Honesty you could possibly tell your little ones!

The Honesty Story: Its Origins

In reality, ‘Honesty is the Best Policy’ is the actual title of a short story that was conjured by the legendary ‘Aesop’, a long time ago. Initially, it was titled ‘The Honest Woodcutter.’

Once upon a time, in the outskirts of a village, there lived a poor woodcutter called Ram. A man of modest means, he stayed in a small hut. Now, in order to earn a living, Ram would go to a forest nearby, and cut trees. He would sell the wood to a wealthy merchant, to make ends meet.

One day, Ram found himself chopping wood on the banks of a river. All of a sudden, his axe fell into the river’s choppy waters. Ram felt a jolt of panic course through him. This couldn’t be! After all, the axe was his sole means to a living! Without it, how would he ever be able to chop wood again, so he could bring food to his table?

There was only one thing Ram could think of doing. He closed his eyes, folded his palms and prayed to God. He knew that if there was anyone who could save him, it was God. So fervent was Ram’s prayer, that God actually appeared in front of him!

When he asked Ram what the matter was, Ram explained everything to the great Lord. After hearing him out, God assured Ram that he would do everything in his capacity to help him. Thus saying, he fished into the river with his hand, and pulled out what appeared to be a silver axe. Ram, honest soul that he was, told God at once that it was not his axe. After all, the axe he used was made of Iron.

Nonetheless, God continued his search, and came up with what looked like a Golden Axe. As tempting as it might have been to say that the axe was his, Ram told God yet again that the axe did not belong to him. God, persistent as ever, fished into the river once more, and this time brought out an Iron Axe. Seeing this most simple of axes, Ram could not contain his excitement. It was ‘his’ axe! He told God the same, and accepted it with delight.

This stroke of luck was not the best thing that could have happened to Ram that day. God was deeply touched by the integrity of the woodcutter, and decided to reward him with the Golden and Silver axes that had been found in the search for the Iron axe. He told Ram to consider these tokens of appreciation, in a harsh and cruel world where people were only scheming to procure things for themselves.

It was with a sense of unbridled joy, that Ram accepted the ‘gift’ of the other two axes from God. From that day onward, Poverty was something that Ram ceased to know. He remained an honest, hardworking woodcutter, and went on to live a life that was full of Happiness and Contentment.

Moral of The Honesty is the Best Policy Story

Taking inspiration from the beginning of this blog post, let us ask ourselves, ‘What is the Moral of the Story we have just heard?’

The Moral: We have a lot to learn, from Ram’s sheer honesty in this fable. By not accepting what was his, he showed loads of integrity. Further, when we see how he was rewarded for his honesty, it shows us that the Universe will reward us, if we are honest. That being said, we show Honesty not only towards others, but to ourselves, too.

Why Stories With Morals are important for Children

Children do not come into this world with an inherent sense of ‘What is Right and Wrong.’ It is largely up to parents, to instill sound moral values in them.
Stories like the above, can teach kids everything from what is Right and Wrong, to behaving in the right manner. All the more reason, then, to tell them plenty of Stories with Morals.

At EuroKids you can rest assured that we do everything in our capacity to help children imbibe sound values. We encourage you to tell your children as many Stories with Morals as you possibly can. This, so they can develop their capability to make sound assessments in various life situations.