One sunny morning, a young boy named Arjun was walking to school through a busy market. The streets were full of people buying fruits, vegetables, and fresh flowers. Arjun enjoyed watching the colorful shops and hearing the loud voices of the vendors.
As he walked along the road, he noticed something lying near a bench. It was a brown leather wallet. Arjun picked it up and looked around, but no one seemed to be searching for it. Curious, he opened the wallet and saw some money, a few cards, and an identity card.
The identity card showed the name "Mr. Rajesh Sharma" along with an address and a photograph of a middle-aged man. Arjun thought for a moment. The money inside the wallet could buy many things he had always wanted — a new cricket bat, chocolates, or even a video game. But he remembered what his father always told him: "Honesty is the best policy."
After school, instead of going straight home, Arjun decided to find the owner of the wallet. The address on the card was not very far from his house. He walked through several small streets until he finally found the house.
Arjun knocked on the door. A worried-looking man opened it. The man looked tired and anxious.
"Excuse me, sir," Arjun said politely. "Is your name Rajesh Sharma?"
The man's eyes widened with surprise. "Yes, it is. Why do you ask?"
Arjun smiled and handed him the wallet. "I found this near the market this morning."
For a moment, the man was speechless. Then his face lit up with relief and happiness. "Oh my goodness! I have been looking for this wallet everywhere," he said. "It contains important documents and money that I needed for my work."
Mr. Sharma thanked Arjun again and again. He even offered him some money as a reward. But Arjun politely refused.
"My parents taught me to return things that do not belong to me," Arjun said.
The man was deeply impressed by Arjun's honesty. Instead of giving money, he praised Arjun and told his parents about his good deed later that evening.
Arjun's parents felt very proud of him. The story of his honesty soon spread in the neighborhood, and many people appreciated his character.
That night, as Arjun went to bed, he felt a deep sense of happiness in his heart. He realized that doing the right thing was far more rewarding than keeping the money.
Moral of the story: Honesty and kindness always bring true happiness.