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A king fell severely ill, and all the doctors failed to cure him. His health worsened day by day, and soon, the entire kingdom knew about his illness. It was believed that there was no cure, and he would inevitably die from his disease.

On the outskirts of the king's city, a poor gardener worked for a wealthy man. While tending to the garden, his eyes fell upon a single apple hanging on a tree that bore no other fruit.

He thought to himself, "This apple, by God's will, will be the cure for the king's illness." He picked the apple and hurried to the palace. However, the palace guards stopped him from entering, as he was a poor man wearing ragged clothes, unworthy of meeting the king.

The gardener insisted on seeing the king, explaining to the guards that he possessed a cure for him.

The guards warned him, "You wretched man! If your so-called cure does not heal the king, we will cut off your head! We have brought the greatest doctors in the world, and none could treat him!"

The poor man agreed to their terms and was finally allowed to meet the king. Standing before him, he said, "O King, if you eat this apple with full trust in God, believing wholeheartedly that He will cure you through it, you shall recover."

The king, filled with faith and hope, ate the apple. Gradually, his health improved, and soon, he was completely cured of all his ailments. Overjoyed, the king summoned the poor man.

Standing before the king, the gardener listened as the king ordered his attendants, "Give this man anything he desires—wealth, land, even my palace, or any ministry he wishes!"

The royal attendants took the poor man and offered him a luxurious palace, but he refused. They then offered him vast orchards and great wealth, but he declined again. Finally, the gardener asked, "Is there anything in the king's possession that I have not seen yet?"

They replied, "Yes, there is a palace in the middle of the sea."

The gardener said, "I wish to enter that palace and see it for myself."

They took him to the palace, where his eyes fell upon a bottle of the king’s rare and precious perfume. He said, "I want this bottle of perfume and nothing else."

Everyone was astonished. How could he refuse palaces, gardens, and wealth, choosing instead a simple bottle of perfume?

When the king learned of the gardener’s unusual request, he agreed but instructed his men to follow and observe him.

The gardener took the bottle and went to the tree where the miraculous apple had grown. He opened the bottle and poured the royal perfume onto the tree’s trunk, branches, and leaves.

When the king was informed of the gardener’s actions, he summoned him and asked, "Why did you do this?"

The gardener replied, "Your Majesty, the reward for goodness is nothing but goodness in return."

Layan A./ Alawda Secondary School