The Precious Stone

A woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met a destitute man who was hungry, and she opened her bag to share her food. The man saw the precious stone and asked her to give it to him. She placed it gently in his hands. The vagabond left, rejoicing in his good fortune. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to her:

"Thank you," he said, "But you can give me something greater than this stone . . .

  Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

~ Author Unknown

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