THE LEGEND OF THE COCONUT TREE
A long time ago, in a small Goan village near the sea, there lived a young boy named Prakash. He was an orphan and lived with his kind-hearted grandmother. They were poor, surviving on the little food they could gather.
One day, while walking along the shore, Prakash saw a beautiful fish struggling in a fisherman’s net. It had golden scales that shimmered under the sun. Feeling pity, Prakash begged the fisherman to let it go. The fisherman laughed and said, “Why waste a good catch?” But when the fish spoke in a human voice, saying, “Please set me free, and I will reward you,” the fisherman got scared and ran away, leaving the fish with Prakash.
Prakash gently released the fish into the water. Before disappearing into the waves, the fish said, “Thank you, kind boy. In return, I grant you a wish.”
Prakash thought for a moment and wished for a tree that would provide food for his grandmother and the whole village. The fish smiled and said, “Go home and plant this seed.” A small golden seed floated toward Prakash.
He rushed home and planted it near his hut. Within days, the seed sprouted into a tall, majestic tree— the first coconut tree. It had sweet water inside, strong wood, and nutritious fruit. The villagers rejoiced, calling it a miracle tree. They learned to use every part of it— the leaves for shelter, the husk for fire, and the fruit for food.
Since then, the coconut tree has been known as the “Tree of Life” in Goa, a gift from the sea, always reminding people of Prakash’s kindness.
