The Diamond and the Witty King

This is a beautiful story of a king who used his presence of mind to solve a crime related to an ancestral diamond. It belonged to a merchant, but his friend lied that it belonged to him. The king solved the case with proper evidence. What was the case? Who was the actual owner of the diamond? Who was the culprit, and how was he punished? Find out by reading this story.

The Merchant and His Ancestral Diamond

Sam was a wealthy merchant. He had a diamond that was passed along the generations in his family. He had to go to look after his ill aunt but thought of the safety of this priceless diamond.

Sam approached Mac, his neighbour, and entrusted him with the diamond. He said, “Please keep it safe until I return.” Mac said, “Don’t worry. I will keep it safe.” Sam gave Mac the diamond in a red velvet pouch.

Sam is Worried About his Diamond

The Betrayal of Trust

Sam returned after a week and went to collect the diamond from Mac. He knocked on the door, and Mac opened it. Mac asked, “How is your aunt?” Sam replied, “She is ok. Thanks for asking. Can I get the diamondback?”

Mac looked surprised and said, “What diamond?”

Sam was also surprised to see his neighbour's weird behaviour. He said, “The one I entrusted you with before I went out of town.”

Mac denied it and said, “You did not give me a diamond.”

It went out of hand, so Sam went to the king for justice.

King Adam’s Court

King Adam is known for his benevolence and philanthropy. He told Sam and Mac to appear in the royal court. Mac even brought the diamond and said he bought it from a jeweller in the city. He also brought a jeweller as a witness.

Sam pleaded for justice and said, “This diamond belongs to our ancestors. It’s mine!”

The king was in a real fix. He said, “Give me the diamond and its pouch. Give me two days to solve the case.” Everyone agreed and left.

The king was looking at the diamond. Suddenly, he felt a beautiful fragrance of rose and sandalwood. He smelled the velvet pouch. There was the same fragrance.

The King’s Presence of Mind

The King’s Wit

He decided to visit Sam’s and Mac’s houses in disguise.

He knocked on Sam’s door and said, “I am from the investigation department. Can I see where you kept the diamond?”

Sam replied it was kept in a sandalwood box. The king opened the box and found some dried rose petals in it.

He then went to Mac’s house and said the same. Mac told the story that he bought it from the jeweller. The king could not find anything that could explain the fragrance.

The next day, both were called to court. The king said, “The diamond belongs to Sam, not Mac.”

He added, “The fragrance of the velvet pouch made the case clear. Mac will be punished, and so will be the jeweller.”

Sam was happy to get his diamond back, and Mac had to pay a fortune to escape the punishment.

Moral of the King Story for Kids

The moral of this story is trickery does not last long. Lies always surface at some point, and the liar is punished one way or the other. This story also explains that greed leads to disastrous decisions.

Tips for Parents

This edition of the Short King Stories with moral explains how betraying a neighbour cost Mac dearly. His greed made him betray Sam. Ultimately, he paid the price of his lies and betrayal. Explain the moral of this story and encourage kids to read more stories