The Woodcutter’s Legacy: True Wealth of Kindness

As Vikram carried Betal on his shoulder, Betal began telling him another story. Once, there was a hardworking woodcutter who, despite his efforts, remained poor. One day, he asked a wise sage, “Will I ever become rich?” The sage examined his palm and replied, “No matter how hard you work, wealth will always evade you, and you will die poor.”

Disheartened, the woodcutter accepted his fate but continued his honest work. One day, he stumbled upon a pot of gold buried beneath a tree. Overjoyed, he thought about keeping it for himself but soon remembered the sage’s prophecy. “If I am destined to die poor, then this wealth is not for me,” he thought. Instead, he used the gold to help the villagers, building wells and providing food for those in need.

As the years passed, the woodcutter lived a humble life, respected and loved by everyone for his selfless deeds. When he finally passed away, he left behind a legacy of kindness, though he himself never sought personal wealth.

After telling the story, Betal asked Vikram, “Was the sage’s prophecy wrong?” Vikram replied, “No, the sage’s prophecy was true in spirit. The woodcutter did not hoard the wealth for himself, so he was never truly rich in the material sense. Yet, he left behind a wealth of goodwill, making him richer than any man.”

**Moral:** True wealth lies not in material possessions but in the kindness and legacy one leaves behind.