High above the fluffy white clouds lay the “Floating Botanical Kingdom,” a realm filled with floating islands and the most beautiful magical flower gardens in the world. The King who ruled the kingdom was very old. He had no heir to inherit the throne, so he decided to choose the most worthy child in the kingdom to become the next ruler.
The King didn’t want the smartest, the strongest, or the wealthiest child, but he wanted a child with a “pure and honest heart.” Therefore, he ordered all the children in the kingdom to gather at the courtyard in front of the palace.
“Children,” the King spoke with a hoarse but warm voice, “I will give each of you one magical flower seed. Take it home, plant it, water it, and care for it as best as you can. After one year, bring your plant pots back to me. Whoever grows the most beautiful flower will be the next King.”
“Kenta”, a poor orphan boy who lived in a small hut at the end of the village, also received a seed. Kenta was a boy who loved plants and had a gentle heart. He was overjoyed to receive the seed from the King. He took it home and carefully planted it in an old terracotta pot, filled it with the richest soil, watered it with morning dew, and put it out to receive warm sunlight every day.
Days passed, weeks passed. Kenta watched over his terracotta pot diligently. However… nothing happened. Not even a single sprout emerged from the soil.
Other children in the village started boasting about their plants. Some said their plants were growing golden leaves. Some said their plants were blossoming into rainbow buds. The more Kenta heard, the sadder and more anxious he became.
Kenta tried everything. He changed the soil, changed the watering schedule, and moved the pot into a small wooden greenhouse he built himself. He even sang to the pot every night, hoping the music would help the seed awaken. But the terracotta pot remained empty. There was only faintly glowing black soil inside.
One year passed quickly. The day everyone had to bring their magical flower pots to show the King arrived.
Children from all over the kingdom traveled to the palace with breathtakingly beautiful flower pots. Some pots had flowers blooming in the shape of phoenixes. Some pots had leaves that sparkled like diamonds. Everyone was confident that their flower was the most beautiful and that they would become the King.
Kenta stood at the very end of the line. He looked down at his empty terracotta pot with shame. He felt like he had failed and disappointed the King. Some of his friends pointed at him and laughed. “Look at Kenta! He couldn’t grow anything at all. He must have been too lazy to care for it.”
But Kenta still held the pot tightly. Even though there were no flowers, it was a pot he had cared for with all his love and effort. He decided he had to show it to the King, even if he would be scolded.
When the King came down to inspect, he walked past the flower pots one by one. He nodded and smiled at the magnificent flowers, but he didn’t say a word. Until he reached the end of the line and stopped in front of Kenta.
“Why is your pot empty, little boy?” the King asked.
Tears welled up in Kenta’s eyes. He knelt down and answered with a trembling voice, “I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. I tried my best. I watered it, loosened the soil, and cared for it every day. But no matter what I did, this seed refused to grow.”
Instead of getting angry, the King smiled broadly. He took the empty pot from Kenta’s hands and raised it high for everyone to see.
“Finally, I have found the one worthy of being the next King!” the King announced loudly, amidst the shock of thousands of children and people.
“Listen closely,” the King explained. “The seeds I distributed to you a year ago were all seeds that had been boiled! It was impossible for them to ever grow into plants!”
The children holding the beautiful flower pots turned pale. They lowered their heads in shame.
“When you found out that the seed I gave you wouldn’t grow, you went and found other seeds to plant instead, to deceive me into thinking it was the flower I had given you,” the King continued. “Only this boy had the courage and honesty to bring an empty pot to me. He didn’t care about being embarrassed or laughed at. He only cared about telling the truth.”
The King placed the most beautiful glowing leaf crown on Kenta’s head. “Honesty is the most precious seed in a human’s heart. A good ruler must be honest above all else. The Floating Botanical Kingdom will prosper and be peaceful under the leadership of the new King… Kenta the Honest.”
From that day on, Kenta became a virtuous King. He ruled the kingdom with honesty and compassion. And that empty terracotta pot was placed in the center of the palace as a reminder for everyone in the kingdom to realize the value of honesty forever.
Moral of the Story: Honesty is the most important and valuable quality. Having the courage to speak the truth and accept the truth, even in difficult situations, will always bring honor and trust from others.
