Once upon a time, two brothers lived in a little house at the edge of a village. The older brother was strong but a bit greedy. He always wanted the biggest share. The younger brother was gentle and hard-working, and happy with whatever he had. When they grew up, it was time for each of them to have a home of his own. "I'll take the big house and the rice fields," said the older brother. "You can have the starfruit tree in the corner of the garden." The younger brother smiled. "Thank you. It gives lovely shade."
He built a small hut next to the tree. Every day he watered it, pulled the weeds and picked off the bugs. The starfruit tree grew happier and happier. It bloomed with tiny purple flowers, and then it was covered in star-shaped fruit, yellow and juicy. The younger brother sold some at the market and shared some with the village children. "So sweet!" they said.
One morning a great bird with shining golden feathers landed in the tree and began to eat the fruit. Peck, peck, gulp. The younger brother stood underneath and said kindly, "Eat as much as you like, dear bird, but please leave me a few to take to market." The golden bird tilted its head and sang: "Eat one fruit, pay with gold. Sew a bag three hands long, and bring it along."
So the younger brother sewed a little bag, exactly three hands long. The next morning the golden bird swooped down and let him climb onto its back. Whoosh, whoosh! Up they flew, over the fields, over the green mountains, over the wide blue sea. The wind was cool and fresh. Far below, the boats looked as small as bamboo leaves. At last they landed on a sparkling island where round nuggets of gold lay on the ground like pebbles.
The younger brother filled his three-hand bag and stopped. "Don't you want more?" asked the bird. "Three hands is plenty," he said. "And it will keep you light for the flight home." Back in the village he mended his roof, bought good rice seeds and helped his neighbors dig a new well and build a little bridge. Everyone was glad.
When the older brother heard, he hurried over. "Little brother, let's swap! You take my house and fields, and I'll take the starfruit tree." The younger brother said yes right away. The older brother sat under the tree and waited, and sure enough, the golden bird came. It sang the same song: "Eat one fruit, pay with gold. Sew a bag three hands long, and bring it along." But the older brother thought, "Three hands is far too small!" So he sewed an enormous bag, twelve hands long.
On the golden island he picked and picked and picked. He stuffed the huge bag full and filled his pockets too. The golden bird flapped its wings and rose into the sky... then flew slower... and slower. "Too heavy! Too heavy! I can't fly any farther!" The bird glided gently down to rest on a soft white sandbank. The older brother sat down on the sand with a bump. He looked at the heavy bag. Then he looked at the golden bird, puffing and so very tired. And suddenly he felt ashamed of himself.
"I'm sorry, dear bird," he said. "I was greedy, and I made you work far too hard." He tipped out the extra gold and kept only three hands' worth. He splashed cool water on the bird's feathers and fed it the starfruit he had brought along. The golden bird felt strong again. "Knowing when you have enough makes your heart light," it said. "Now, let's go home." This time the bird flew as light as a feather, whoosh, whoosh, all the way back while the sun set pink and orange.
The older brother found his younger brother and told him everything. "From now on, let's farm together and look after the starfruit tree together." The two brothers used their gold to build a school for the village and planted starfruit trees all along the road. Every season, when the fruit turned yellow, the golden bird came back to eat a few and sing in the branches. And the village children sang along: "Eat one fruit, pay with gold..."
Parent tip: Spread your arms and sway slowly like the golden bird on each 'whoosh', then ask your child how big a bag they would sew.
Ask your child: After the story, you can ask: “Who was kind in this story, and what did they do?”
A gentle retelling of an old tale — nothing scary, just a lesson about sharing and knowing when you have enough.