The Two Mangoes: A Short Story About Fairness for Kids
It was the height of mango season in Nuzvid, famous for its sweet mangoes. Every afternoon, brothers Ryan and Kevin waited eagerly for their grandmother to bring out the fruit.
One day, Grandma came into the courtyard with only two mangoes on a plate. One was large, golden, and juicy. The other was small and a little green at the top.
The Argument Begins
Both boys lunged for the big mango at the same time.
“I saw it first!” said Ryan.
“I’m younger, so I should get the bigger one!” said Kevin.
“I’m older, so I should get it!” said Ryan.
They pulled the plate back and forth until Grandma took it away.
“Enough,” she said calmly. “Sit down, both of you.”
Grandma’s Question
“Why do you both want the big mango?” she asked.
“Because it’s bigger,” they said together.
“And is it fair if one of you gets the big one and the other gets the small one?”
Both boys were quiet. They each wanted to say yes, if they got the big one.
The Clever Rule
Grandma smiled. “Here is a rule my mother taught me. Ryan, you will cut the mangoes, and you can cut them however you like. But Kevin will choose his share first.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. He looked at the knife. If he cut one piece bigger, Kevin would take it.
Very carefully, Ryan cut both mangoes into pieces. He measured with his eyes. He moved the knife a little to the left, then a little to the right. When he was finished, he made two plates, each with a mix of big-mango and small-mango pieces, as equal as he could make them.
“Your turn to choose, Kevin,” said Grandma.
Kevin looked at the two plates for a long time. They looked exactly the same. He shrugged and picked one.
Both boys started eating, and for the first time that afternoon, nobody complained.
Fair Isn’t Always Equal
As they licked the sweet juice from their fingers, their cousin Paige, who was only three, toddled into the courtyard.
“Mango?” she asked hopefully.
The boys looked at their plates, then at each other.
“She’s little,” said Kevin. “She doesn’t need as much as us.”
“But she should get some,” said Ryan.
They each gave Paige two pieces from their plates. Paige squealed with joy.
Grandma watched with a smile. “Now you have learned something even more important,” she said. “Fair doesn’t always mean everyone gets exactly the same. Sometimes fair means everyone gets what they need, and everyone is included.”
The Mango Seed
When the mangoes were finished, Kevin held up the big mango’s seed. “Can we plant this?”
“Yes,” said Grandma. “And when it grows into a tree, there will be enough mangoes for everyone.”
The boys planted the seed together in the corner of the courtyard, arguing only a little about who got to pour the water.
Moral of the Story
Fairness means thinking about others, not just ourselves. When we share fairly and include everyone, there’s less fighting and more happiness to go around.
Questions to Discuss
- Why did Ryan and Kevin both want the big mango?
- Why did Grandma’s rule (“one cuts, the other chooses”) work so well?
- Why did the boys share with Paige?
- What does “fair” mean to you? Is it always the same as “equal”?
Try This at Home
Next time siblings or friends need to share a treat, try the “one cuts, the other chooses” rule. It’s a simple and fun way to teach fairness!
You May Also Enjoy
- What the Old Banyan Tree Remembered
- The Village That Argued About the River
- The Weaver Who Wove the Seasons
More: English Short Stories · Stories in 14 languages · Srikaram home
✍️ Have a story or article to share? Submit it for review and get published on Srikaram.org.