Long ago, in a faraway kingdom,
there was a great and mighty king. He lived in a grand castle with high towers
and strong stone walls. Surrounding his kingdom were many farms, where
hardworking farmers grew golden wheat, tall corn, and plump grains.
Every year, when harvest time came,
the farmers gathered their crops and gave a share of their food to the
king. It was the king’s way of making sure the land was cared for, and in
return, he allowed the farmers to live and work on his fields. The farmers
always worked hard to grow enough food for their families and to give the king
his share.
But one autumn, just as the farmers
were about to gather their crops, an unknown bird appeared. It was small and
quick, with brown feathers that shimmered in the sunlight. The bird flew from
field to field, pecking at the ripe wheat and nibbling on the corn.
When the time came to give the king
his share, the farmers realized they were short. They had counted every
ear of corn, every stalk of wheat, and every grain, but there was simply not
enough.
They hurried to the castle and bowed
before the king.
"Your Majesty," one farmer
said, "a small bird has eaten part of our crops, and now we do not have
enough to give you the full amount."
The king frowned. "A
bird?" he asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the
farmers said. "It came at harvest time and ate what we had grown."
The king's face darkened. "I do
not want excuses," he said. "Next year, you must give me my full share—no
less!"
The farmers left the castle, worried
about what to do. They had worked hard, and yet the bird had taken part of
their food.
The next year, they planted more
seeds, watered the fields, and watched their crops grow tall. But when harvest
time came, the bird returned—this time with friends! More birds swooped down,
eating their fill.
Once again, the farmers did not have
enough to give the king.
They returned to the castle, heads
low.
"Your Majesty," they said,
"the birds have returned and eaten from our fields again. We tried, but we
do not have the full share you ask for."
The king’s face turned red with
anger. "Enough! I will not listen to this again. Next year, if you do not
bring me what is due, there will be consequences!"
The farmers were frightened. They
could not stop the birds, and they could not risk making the king angry again.
That night, the farmers gathered to
discuss what to do.
Then one wise old farmer spoke up.
"If we cannot stop the birds, then let us plan for them instead. What if
we plant an extra row of crops just for them?"
The others looked at each other and
nodded.
"If we grow a little more than
we need, the birds will have their food, and we will still have enough for
ourselves and the king," another farmer said.
And so, the next year, they planted
an extra row of wheat, corn, and grain.
Sure enough, when the harvest came,
the birds returned. They swooped down and ate from the extra row, leaving the
rest of the crops untouched.
When the farmers gathered their
harvest, they finally had enough to give the king his full share.
The farmers walked proudly to the
castle, carrying full baskets of grain and corn.
The king was pleased. "At last,
you have given me what is due."
The farmers smiled, knowing their
plan had worked. From that year forward, they always planted an extra row, calling
it the spare row.
And the little bird that had once
caused so much trouble? They decided to give it a name—Sparrow, after
the spare row it feasted on.
And so, the sparrow and the farmers
lived in harmony, teaching the kingdom a valuable lesson.
Moral
to the Story
When we plan ahead, we can turn
problems into solutions. Giving a little more than expected can help everyone
live in peace. Sharing is not losing—it is making sure there is always enough
for all. And that is how the sparrow got its name.
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