The sons were all well satisfied, and each took his share with thanks, and promised that it should be well and properly employed.  When this important business was thus finished, the father addressed the sons in the following words: 

“My sons, there is one thing which I have not included in the share of any one of you.  It is this costly diamond which you see in my hand.  I will give it to that one of you who shall earn it by the noblest deed.

“Go, therefore, and travel for three months; at the end of that time, we will meet here again, and you shall tell me what you have done.”

The sons thereupon departed, and traveled for three months, each in a different direction.  At the end of that time they returned; and all came together to their father to give an account of their journey.  The eldest son spoke first.

“Father, on my journey a stranger entrusted to me a great number of valuable jewels, without taking any account of them.  Indeed, I was well aware that he did not know how many the package contained.

“One or two of them would never have been missed, and I might easily have enriched myself without fear of detection.  But I gave back the package exactly as I had received it.  Was not this a noble deed?”

“My son,” replied the father, “simple honesty cannot be called noble.  You did what was right, and nothing more.  If you had acted otherwise, you would have been dishonest, and your deed would have shamed you.  You have done well, but not nobly.”

The second son now spoke.  He said:  “As I was riding along on my journey, I one day saw a poor child playing by the shore of a lake; and just as I rode by, it fell into the water, and was in danger of being drowned.

“I at once dismounted from my horse, and plunging into the water, brought it safe to land.  All the people of the village where this happened will tell you that what I say is true.  Was it not a noble action?”

“My son,” replied the old man, “you did only what was your duty.  You could hardly have left the child to die without exerting yourself to save it.  You, too, have acted well, but not nobly.”

Then the third son came forward to tell his tale.  He said:  “Father, I had an enemy, who for years had done me much harm and tried to take my life.

“One evening during my journey, I was passing along a dangerous road which ran beside the summit of a cliff.  As I rode along, my horse started at sight of something in the road.

“I dismounted to see what it was, and found my enemy lying fast asleep on the very edge of the cliff.  The least movement in his sleep and he must have rolled over and been dashed to pieces on the rocks below.

“His life was in my hands.  I drew him away from the edge and then woke him, and told him to go on his way in peace.”

Then the old Persian cried out with great joy, “Dear son, the diamond is yours, for it is a noble and godlike thing to help an enemy and return good for evil.”