The Chain of Goodness

One morning, Birbal stood quietly at the palace gates and observed the people going about their day. A frail beggar sat nearby, tired and hungry. Without a word, Birbal reached into his pocket and gave him a single coin.

The beggar, grateful, went to the bakery and bought a small piece of bread. Just as he was about to eat it, he noticed a starving street dog staring at him. Touched by its hunger, he broke the bread in half and shared it with the animal.

The baker, having watched the scene from his stall, was moved. He stepped outside and handed the beggar two extra loaves without charge. “For your kind heart,” he said.

A wealthy man passing by saw the baker’s gesture and, impressed by the generosity, purchased a large batch of bread and paid the baker double. “The world needs more kindness,” he said.

That evening, Birbal narrated the entire chain of events to Emperor Akbar.

“Your Majesty,” Birbal concluded, “I only gave one coin. But that small act echoed from a beggar to a dog, from a baker to a bystander creating more kindness than I alone could offer. Goodness, once set in motion, moves on without asking for credit.”

Akbar, deeply moved, replied, “Indeed, Birbal. A single act can become a thousand blessings.”

Moral: A small act of kindness can spark a wave of goodness that reaches far beyond what we see.