The Empty Pot

Once upon a time, in China, there lived an emperor who loved flowers very much. He had grown old and needed to choose someone to take his place. He called all the children to his palace and gave each of them a flower seed: "Plant this seed and look after it for a year. Whoever brings me the most beautiful flower will become ruler after me."

Among the children was a boy called Ping. Ping was very good at growing flowers; every plant in his garden bloomed under his care. He planted his seed in the finest pot, in the best soil. He watered it every day and put it in the sun. But days went by, and not a single leaf came up from the seed.

Ping moved the seed to a bigger pot with richer soil. Still nothing came up. Months went by. Colourful flowers bloomed in all the neighbours' children's pots. But Ping's pot stayed empty.

A year passed. The children ran to the palace with big, dazzling flowers in their hands. Ping looked at his empty pot and cried. His father touched his shoulder: "You did your best. Doing your very best is enough. Go and tell the emperor honestly."

Ping took his empty pot to the palace. The emperor walked among the flowers without smiling once. Then he stopped in front of Ping: "Why is your pot empty?" Ping bowed his head: "I planted the seed and looked after it every day, but it didn't sprout."

The emperor smiled and turned to everyone: "I had cooked all the seeds I gave you. None of them could have sprouted! You planted other seeds. Ping is the only child brave enough to bring me the truth. He will rule this land after me."

When Ping grew up, he became a fair and honest ruler. His gardens bloomed every spring.

This tale tells us: honesty can sometimes look like an empty pot, but it is really the most beautiful flower of all.