An Old Man & a King

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

One day, King Khosrow and his entourage went to hunt deer on the plains far in the central regions of Persia.  The king was astonished when his entourage came upon an old man in his nineties, barely standing up, who was planting fig trees. 

“Don’t you know it takes thirty years for fig trees to grow?” asked the king.  “It is time for you to give thanks for your blessing of a long life, and get ready for the other world.” 

The old man replied, “Our fathers planted fig trees, and we ate figs from them.  I am planting trees for those who will come after me and, by my good deed, I am getting ready for the other world.”


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