The Foolish Sage | 07 | English Moral Story | Story Time with Sudha Amma

Summary

In the village of Vijay Nagar, children discover mysterious images on a rock by a pond. When the village sage is away, a clever yet deceitful disciple named Vpal convinces the villagers that the drawing foretells disaster unless they worship the rock. The villagers blindly follow his misleading rituals until the sage returns and reveals the truth. He teaches them the importance of thinking critically and not believing everything they hear. The hidden treasure from the stone is used to repair the village road, benefiting all travelers.

Takeaways

• 😀 The story begins near a pond in Vijay Nagar, where travelers often stop to rest.
• 💧 Children are playing by the pond, skipping stones when they discover a rock with mysterious images imprinted on it.
• 🧐 The children try to interpret the images, which include a donkey, a stick, and a broken pot, but struggle to understand their meaning.
• 👴 An elder intervenes, scolding the children but also becoming curious about the mysterious images on the rock.
• 🧙 The villagers seek help from the disciple Vpal, who claims to be knowledgeable and offers his own interpretation of the images.
• 🪄 Vpal tells the villagers that the stick is magical, and the rock is a tribute to a hero of Vijay Nagar who protected the town.
• 🛑 Vpal warns the villagers that any traveler who doesn’t stop and pray at the rock will face misfortune, turning into donkeys or experiencing great loss.
• 🛐 Vpal manipulates the villagers into worshiping the rock and convinces them to perform rituals, profiting from their fear and ignorance.
• 🙅 The scam continues until the guruji returns from his pilgrimage and discovers the deception Vpal has been running.
• 💡 The guruji teaches the villagers a lesson, urging them to think critically rather than blindly follow others, and the treasure found is used to benefit the village by repairing the road.

Q & A

Where is the pond located?

The pond is located in Vijay Nagar, near the main road.

What do the travelers do at the pond?

Travelers stop at the pond to rest.

What are the children trying to understand about the rock?

The children are trying to understand the meaning of the image imprinted on the rock.

What does the image on the rock resemble according to the uncle?

The uncle thinks the image looks like a donkey, a stick, and a broken pot.

Who is the sage the children want to consult?

The sage they want to consult is Guruji.

Why is Guruji not available to help?

Guruji is not available because he has gone on a pilgrimage.

What does Vpal, the disciple, claim the drawing represents?

Vpal claims the drawing represents a great hero of Vijay Nagar holding a magical stick.

What does Vpal warn will happen to travelers who do not pray at the stone?

Vpal warns that travelers who do not stop and pray at the stone will face tremendous loss and turn into donkeys.

What does Vpal become as a result of his explanation?

Vpal becomes the priest of the stone.

What does Guruji discover upon his return from pilgrimage?

Guruji discovers that the ashram is in disarray and that the villagers have been misled by Vpal.

What is the final decision made regarding the stone and the road?

Guruji decides that the treasure found should be used to repair the road for the convenience of travelers.