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“So, you have all grown such nice plants from the seeds I gave you. Today, one of you

will be chosen the next king,” he said.

Dharma tried to hide behind the others. The king noticed
Why was Dharma trembling
him with the empty pot and ordered his servants bring the with fear?
young man to him. Dharma was trembling with fear. “What

is your name, dear?” asked the king.

“My name is Dharma,” he said. All the other young men laughed at him. Then the

king announced, “Behold your new king! His name is Dharma.” There was complete

silence in the courtroom. Dharma couldn’t believe what he had heard. “How could I
be the king when I have failed to grow the seed?” he wondered.

The king then explained, “My dear young men,
one year ago, I gave you each a seed, a

special seed. I told you to sow it, water it
and bring the plant to me. But

I gave you all boiled seeds.

Boiled seeds cannot grow
into plants. All of you

sowed some other seed
and not the one I gave

you. Only Dharma

has brought back the
pot with my seed in

it. Therefore he will be

our next king.”

Word Power

palace: a place where a king lives amazed: surprised

throne: the chair of a king trembling: shaking

sow: put in the soil successor: a person who comes after

court room: a place in which a king and another person

his courtiers meet variety: different
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Arrow-English Plus-3