"Taro's Reward" is a popular Japanese folk tale included in the NCERT Honeysuckle textbook for Class 6. It is the story of Taro, a poor but honest and hardworking woodcutter, who lives with his aged parents. Taro works tirelessly, but he earns very little, and his old parents are often cold and hungry. He dreams of being able to give them warm clothes and plenty of food, and he prays for good fortune.
One stormy evening, when Taro is working in the forest, he hears the sound of rushing water. To his astonishment, he finds a waterfall, and when he tastes the water, it turns out to be delicious sake, a sweet drink. Remembering his cold father, Taro fills his pitcher and hurries home. However, when he returns with his father the next day, the waterfall has turned back into ordinary water, and the greedy villagers mock him.
The tale becomes a story of honesty and kindness being rewarded. When the villagers try to exploit the waterfall for money, they only get plain water. Taro, however, is rewarded by the Emperor, who makes him the richest man in the village and gives the waterfall a name that means honesty. The story teaches that genuine kindness to parents is always rewarded, and that greed is never fruitful.
"Taro's Reward" is a Japanese folk tale, so it was not written by a single known author. It belongs to the rich tradition of stories that grandparents tell children, carrying the wisdom of the community. The tale reflects Japanese values of filial duty, hard work and honesty. The NCERT textbook includes it to encourage young readers to respect their parents and to show that selfish people never truly gain anything.
Taro was a young woodcutter who lived in a village near a forest. He was poor, but he worked hard every day, cutting wood and selling it in the market. Despite his efforts, his earnings were small, and his old parents suffered from cold and hunger in their little hut. Taro loved his parents dearly and wished he could make them comfortable and happy.
One evening it rained heavily. Taro was working in the forest, soaked and shivering, when he heard a strange, soft sound. Curious, he walked towards it and discovered a beautiful waterfall. Since Taro was thirsty, he cupped his hands and drank some water. To his great surprise, the water tasted like sake, a sweet drink that made him feel warm and energetic.
Taro thought at once of his old father who loved sake. He filled his wooden pitcher with the magic water and ran home. He told his parents what he had found, and the whole family rejoiced. The next morning, Taro's father asked to be taken to the waterfall so that he could drink the sake himself.
When Taro and his father reached the waterfall, they found a crowd of villagers there. The news of the sake waterfall had spread overnight. To their dismay, the water that everyone drank was just ordinary cold water. The villagers laughed at Taro and accused him of lying. Taro's father defended him, saying that his son had never told a lie in his life.
In spite of the ridicule, Taro did not stop being kind and honest. One day, an old man slipped on the road and lay in the mud, while all the passers-by made fun of him. Only Taro rushed forward, helped him up, and took him home, where he cleaned his clothes and warmed him. The old man was actually the Emperor of Japan in disguise, testing the people's kindness.
The Emperor was deeply pleased with Taro's behaviour. He rewarded Taro generously, making him the richest person in the village. He also gave the waterfall a name, 'Taro's waterfall', which means that anyone who is kind to his parents will be rewarded. The greedy villagers, who had tried to sell the magic water, were left with nothing but ordinary water and regret.
The main theme of the story is that honesty, hard work and love for one's parents are the greatest treasures. The tale contrasts Taro's selfless nature with the greed of the villagers. While the villagers seek only money, Taro's only wish is the comfort of his aged parents. The moral is that good deeds never go unrewarded, and that greed always brings disappointment, while kindness brings true reward.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Taro's job | Woodcutter |
| Where he lived | Near a forest, in a poor village |
| What the waterfall gave | Sake, a sweet drink |
| What the villagers got | Ordinary water |
| Who tested Taro | The Emperor in disguise |
| Stage | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Taro works hard but remains poor |
| 2 | He discovers the sake waterfall |
| 3 | Villagers mock him when water turns ordinary |
| 4 | Taro helps an old man stuck in the mud |
| 5 | The old man is the Emperor and rewards Taro |
"Taro's Reward" is a beautiful folk tale that celebrates honesty, hard work and love for parents. Taro, though poor, is rich in virtue. His kindness towards his old parents and his readiness to help a stranger in distress earn him the Emperor's favour, while the greedy villagers receive nothing but mockery and ordinary water. The story leaves young readers with a lasting lesson: true reward comes to those who are honest and kind, and no amount of greed can bring real happiness.