Foreword:
Inasmallvillage,thereweretwoflowersthatgrewsidebyside.OnewascalledtheFragrantLily,andtheotherwastheFragrance-lessLotus.Althoughbothflowerswerebeautifulintheirownway,theFragrantLilywasalwaysmorepopularwiththevillagersbecauseofitssweetscent.
Butoneday,somethingextraordinaryhappened.Awisemancametothevillageanddeclaredthathewouldgiveaprizetotheflowerwiththemostbeautifulcharacter.Andsobeganajourneyofself-discoveryforthetwoflowers,astheysetouttoprovethatcharacterwasmoreimportantthanfragrance.
1.TheFragrantLilyhadalwaysbeenproudofitssweetscent,anditwasconfidentthatitwouldwintheprizeeasily.However,whenitheardaboutthecompetition,itstartedtofeelnervousaboutitscharacter.
2.TheFragrance-lessLotus,ontheotherhand,hadneverbeenpopularbecauseofitslackoffragrance.Butitknewthatithadakindandgenerousheart,anditwasdeterminedtousethistowintheprize.
3.Thetwoflowersdecidedtotraveltoanearbytemplewheretheycouldlearnmoreaboutwhatitmeanttohaveabeautifulcharacter.
4.Ontheirjourney,theymetawiseoldturtlewhohadlivedformanyyears.Theturtletoldthemthatcharacterwasaboutbeingtruetooneselfandlivingwithintegrity.
5.Theturtlealsotaughtthemthathavingabeautifulcharactermeantbeingkind,compassionate,andgeneroustoothers.
6.Astheycontinuedtheirjourney,theyencounteredagroupofchildrenwhowereplayingbytheriver.TheFragrantLilywashesitanttoapproachthechildren,afraidthattheywouldpickitandtakeitawayfromthevillage.
7.ButtheFragrance-lessLotussawanopportunitytopracticekindnessandgenerosity.Itapproachedthechildrenandsharedsomeofitspetalswiththem,makingthemsmileandfeelhappy.
8.TheFragrantLilyrealizedthatithadbeentoofocusedonitsownbeautyandhadnotthoughtaboutthehappinessofothers.Itfeltashamedofitspreviousbehavior.
9.Astheyarrivedatthetemple,theyweregreetedbyawisemonkwhotaughtthemabouttheimportanceofhumilityandselflessness.
10.Themonktoldthemastoryofakingwhohadeverythinghecouldeverwantbutwasstillunhappybecausehelackedinnerpeaceandcontentment.
11.Themonkemphasizedthathavingabeautifulcharacterwasaboutfindinginnerpeaceandcontentmentwithinoneself,notthroughexternalpossessionsorachievements.
12.Thetwoflowersbegantounderstandthattruebeautycamefromwithinandthatfragrancealonecouldnotmakethemtrulybeautiful.
13.Theycontinuedontheirjourney,meetingdifferentcreaturesalongthewaywhotaughtthemvaluablelessonsaboutkindness,compassion,andselflessness.
14.Finally,theyarrivedatthevillagewherethecompetitionwasbeingheld.Thevillagerswereastonishedtoseehowmuchthetwoflowershadchanged.
15.TheFragrantLilynolongerboastedaboutitsfragrancebutinsteadtalkedabouttheimportanceofkindnessandselflessness.TheFragrance-lessLotus,ontheotherhand,wasnowmoreconfidentinitselfandtalkedaboutthebeautyofinnerpeaceandcontentment.
16.Asthewisemanexaminedbothflowers,henoticedthattheFragrantLilystillhadasweetscentbutthattheFragrance-lessLotushaddevelopedasubtlefragranceofitsown.
17.Thewisemansmiledanddeclaredthatbothflowershadwontheprize,fortheyhadbothshownremarkablegrowthintheircharacter.
18.Thevillagerswereamazedandrealizedthattruebeautycamefromwithin,notfromexternalappearancesorpossessions.
19.Fromthenon,thevillagersbegantoappreciatetheFragrance-lessLotusmoreandrealizedthatithadauniquebeautythatwasjustasvaluableastheFragrantLily'ssweetscent.
20.Thetwoflowershadlearnedthatcharacterwasmoreimportantthanfragranceandthattruebeautycamefromwithin.
21.Theyhadbothgrownintheirunderstandingofwhatitmeanttohaveabeautifulcharacter,andtheywerebothadmiredbythevillagersfortheirnewfoundwisdomandkindness.
22.Andso,thetaleofthetwoflowersbecamealegendinthevillage,remindingpeoplethattruebeautyliesinthefragranceofone'scharacter.
