Panchatantra Story: Stunning Iron Balance & Merchant’s Son Tale

Once upon a time, in a bustling village filled with fragrant flowers and chirping birds, there lived a kind-hearted young boy named Ravi. Ravi was the merchant’s son. His family owned a shop where they sold beautiful textiles and shiny pots, but what made Ravi truly special was his curious mind and loving heart.

The Stunning Iron Balance

One sunny morning, Ravi watched his father unload a strange, heavy object from a cart. It was a stunning iron balance—wrought with sparkling metal and delicate chains that glinted in the sunlight. “What is this, Father?” asked Ravi, his eyes wide with wonder.

“This, my son, is an iron balance,” said his father with a smile. “It helps us weigh things very carefully so we give the right amount to customers. It must be fair and true.”

Ravi loved the balance. “When can I use it?” he asked eagerly.

“Soon, Ravi. But remember, a balance weighs not just items; it weighs honesty and fairness too,” his father said wisely.

A Lesson in Honesty

A few days later, a tricky situation came to the marketplace. A little girl brought a basket of fresh oranges to sell. “I want to buy some sugar,” she told Ravi’s father. “Please weigh the oranges and tell me how much sugar I can get.”

The merchant’s son stepped forward, remembering his father’s words. “Let’s see how much your oranges weigh,” he said, carefully placing them on one side of the iron balance.

As the weights dropped into place, something didn’t feel right. The oranges seemed lighter than expected. Ravi looked closer and saw a sly man sneaking behind the girl, whispering, “Add some stones to your basket to make it heavier.”

Ravi’s eyes grown wide. “That’s not fair!” he whispered. The girl looked confused and nervous.

The Merchant’s Son Becomes Brave

Ravi took a deep breath and said kindly to the man, “Sir, the balance shows the true weight. If you want to be honest, you don’t need stones to trick anyone. What really matters is trust.”

The man frowned but then noticed how the girl’s eyes were full of tears. “I was only trying to help her,” he mumbled.

Ravi smiled gently, “Helping is good, but helping with honesty is best.” Then he showed the girl how to weigh her oranges properly.

The Magic of the Iron Balance

That evening, Ravi lay on his bed and thought about the iron balance. To him, it was not just a tool, but a symbol of truth and fairness. He imagined magical scales that could also weigh kindness and courage.

As the stars twinkled outside his window, Ravi whispered, “May all people use the stunning iron balance in their hearts—balancing honesty and goodness every day.”

The Moral of the Tale

And so, children, the iron balance teaches us something wonderful — it’s important to be fair and honest, even when no one is watching. Just like Ravi, we can all choose to be brave and kind, using our hearts to weigh right from wrong.

Whenever you see a balance or a scale, remember the merchant’s son who learned that true balance is found in fairness and truth.

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Goodnight, little one. Dream of shining balances and magical markets, where hearts are kind and stories are true.