About the Author
The story "The Shepherd's Treasure" is part of the NCERT Class 6 English supplementary reader A Pact with the Sun. It is not written by one person but is a folktale chosen by the NCERT team. Folktales are old stories passed down through generations, often teaching important lessons. This story comes from a collection meant to inspire young students with simple words and meaningful messages about kindness and wisdom.
What’s the Story About?
This is a simple and heartwarming story about a poor shepherd who lives in a village in Iran. He is not rich, has no family, and cannot read or write, but he is kind, honest, and wise. He takes care of his sheep with love and helps people in his village by giving them good advice. Everyone trusts him because he always speaks the truth and cares for others.
One day, the king of the country hears about this shepherd and wants to meet him. The king dresses up as a common man, not like a king, so the shepherd won’t know who he is. He visits the shepherd’s small hut and sees how simply the shepherd lives. The shepherd welcomes the king warmly, shares his simple food, and talks to him like a friend. The king is impressed by the shepherd’s kindness and clever words.
Later, the king invites the shepherd to his palace and makes him the governor of a small area. This means the shepherd gets a big job to look after people, like he looks after his sheep. The shepherd does this job well, staying honest and kind. But some other governors become jealous. They lie to the king, saying the shepherd is keeping a secret treasure in an iron chest and is not honest.
The king calls the shepherd to the palace and asks him to open the iron chest. Everyone expects to see gold or jewels inside, but when the shepherd opens it, there is only an old blanket! The shepherd explains that this blanket is his treasure because it keeps him warm and safe. He says he doesn’t need anything else to be happy. The king is amazed by the shepherd’s honesty and wisdom. He realizes the shepherd is a good man and not a thief. The king rewards him by making him the governor of an even bigger area.
The story ends with the shepherd continuing to live simply and help others, showing that true treasure is not gold or money but a kind heart and wise mind.
Who’s Who in the Story
- The Shepherd: The main character, a poor man who looks after sheep. He is kind, honest, and wise, and he becomes a governor because of his good nature.
- The King: The ruler of the country who tests the shepherd by visiting him in disguise. He is fair and respects the shepherd’s honesty.
- The Jealous Governors: Other leaders who don’t like the shepherd’s success. They lie about him to the king because they are jealous.
- The Villagers: People in the shepherd’s village who love and trust him because he helps them with his advice.
Themes and Moral
The story teaches some important lessons through its big ideas:
- Honesty is the Best Treasure: The shepherd’s old blanket shows that true wealth is being honest and happy with what you have, not chasing money.
- Kindness Wins Hearts: The shepherd’s kind actions, like sharing food and helping others, make people trust and respect him.
- Wisdom Over Wealth: The shepherd is not educated, but his clever thoughts and good advice make him special.
- Jealousy Hurts: The jealous governors try to harm the shepherd, but their lies fail because truth always wins.
The main moral is: Being honest, kind, and wise is more valuable than gold or riches.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the story, explained in simple words for Class 6 students:
- Shepherd: A person who takes care of sheep and makes sure they are safe. Like a farmer for animals.
- Governor: A person chosen to look after a place and its people, like a leader of a town.
- Disguise: When someone changes how they look to hide who they are. Like the king dressing as a common man.
- Hut: A small, simple house made of wood or mud. The shepherd lives in one.
- Jealous: Feeling upset because someone else has something you want, like the governors who don’t like the shepherd’s success.
- Treasure: Something very valuable, like gold or jewels. For the shepherd, his old blanket is his treasure.
- Iron Chest: A strong box made of metal used to keep important things safe. The shepherd keeps his blanket in one.
- Wisdom: Being smart in a kind way, knowing what is right and good. The shepherd has lots of it.
- “Simple Life”: Living with just what you need, like the shepherd with his hut and blanket.
- “True Treasure”: A phrase meaning the most important thing in life, like honesty or kindness, not money.
These words help you understand the story better and feel the shepherd’s kind heart. Try using them when you talk about being honest or kind!