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March 21, 2022

The old man and the king – a story told by ‘Abdu’l-Baha

A great king walking in his garden one day noticed an old man, about 90 years old, planting some trees. The king asked what he was doing and the old man answered that he was planting date seeds.


The king was pleased at this answer, so rewarded the old man some money. The gardener fell on his knees and thanked him.

This so pleased the king, he gave him another piece of money.

Again, the old gardener knelt saying:

This pleased the king so very much that perforce he gave the old man another piece of money, saying:

(From 'Star of the West', vol. 9. no. 18; 'Child’s Way' magazine, January-February 1980)