Ruby was poor but hard-working. Every day, she used a simple old bucket to help the village. One morning by the river, the old bucket slipped from her hand and splashed into the deep water.
Ruby sat down on the bank and sighed. It was her only one. Suddenly, the water swirled, and Dot the dragon rose from the waves, shining. ‘Why are you sad?’ she asked.
When Ruby explained, Dot dived down and came up with a golden bucket. ‘Is this yours?’ Ruby shook her head. ‘No, mine was plain.’ Dot dived again and came up with another. ‘No,’ said Ruby, ‘it was wooden.’
The third time, Dot brought up the old bucket. ‘That’s mine!’ said Ruby, delighted. Dot smiled. ‘You told the truth three times, even when you could have lied. For that, you shall have all three.’
Ruby went home with the old bucket and the shiny gifts. She shared them with the village. And everyone said, ‘Honesty is the finest treasure of all.’
The little lesson
Honesty is always the best treasure.
Let’s talk about it
- Why was it hard to tell the truth?
- What reward did Ruby get?
Finish stories to collect Ruby as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
More Fables stories
The Honest Hand of Jonah
Jonah drops a tool in the river and is offered something much finer. Will he tell the truth?
Gia Tells the Truth
Gia drops a tool in the river and is offered something much finer. Will she tell the truth?
Moe and the Jug of Water
Moe is thirsty, but the water is too low in the jug. A clever idea saves the day!
You might also like
Theo’s Goal That Wasn’t
Theo scores a goal that no one saw was wrong. What would you do?
Milo’s Bicycle That Went Back in Time
Milo finds an old bicycle in the shed that rides all the way back to the age of dinosaurs.
Caleb Steers Through the Storm
A ferocious storm hits the pirate ship. Only teamwork can bring the crew safely home.