Selenga walked through the park every morning. With her curly hair, pink beret, and small bag slung over her shoulder, she had a routine all her own.
One morning, something caught her foot.
A small, round, grey stone.
She bent down to pick it up. That's when the stone spoke.
"Careful, you'll drop me."
Selenga jumped back. She looked around. No one was there.
"I'm talking to you," said the stone.
A Very Ancient Stone
Selenga carefully picked up the stone and held it in her palm.
“Can you really talk?”
"I couldn't always,“ said the stone. ”But I've seen so much. We've heard so much. Over time, I learned language."
“How old are you?”
“Eight hundred years.”
Selenga held her breath. “Eight hundred years?”
"There was a river beneath this park long ago. The river carried me far from where I started. Then the river dried up. I've been here ever since."
“So why did I trip over you?”
The stone was quiet for a moment. “Because I need to tell you a secret.”
The World's Most Powerful Force
“What secret?” asked Selenga, sitting down on the grass.
"In eight hundred years, I've seen so much. Wars. Floods. Trees growing tall. People came and went. And I wanted to ask them all the same question—but no one ever stopped to listen."
“What question?”
“What is the most powerful force in the world?”
Selenga thought hard. “An earthquake?”
“No.”
“A hurricane?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
The stone stayed silent. "I don't know,“ it finally said. ”That's why I've been waiting eight hundred years. Maybe you can help me find the answer."
The Search for Answers
Selenga placed the stone in her bag. "Let's find the answer together."
The first place she visited was an ancient oak tree.
"You've lived a hundred years,“ Selenga said to the tree. ”What is the most powerful force in the world?"
The tree swayed in the wind. Its leaves rustled.
“Roots,” said the tree. "Roots are powerful. I didn't fall during storms because I have deep roots."
Selenga wrote this down. The stone murmured from her pocket: “First answer: Roots.”
Next, she asked an elderly woman in the neighborhood.
“What do you think is the most powerful force in the world?”
The woman was sewing. She smiled.
“Patience,” she said. "I've lived eighty years. I've seen every hardship pass. Patience conquered them all."
The stone murmured again: “Second answer: Patience.”
Then Selenga asked a small child playing in the park.
"What's the most powerful force in the world, do you think?"
The child answered without hesitation: “Hugging my mom.”
Selenga paused.
The Answer
She went home and placed the stone on her desk.
“We have three answers,” she said. “Roots. Patience. Hugging my mom.”
“Which one is right?” asked the stone.
Selenga thought deeply. Then she smiled.
“All of them,” she said. “Because roots grow with love. Patience endures through love. And hugging is love itself.”
The stone was silent for a long time.
“Eight hundred years I waited for this answer,” it finally said. “Thank you.”
Selenga looked at the stone. “What happens now?”
“Now I can rest peacefully. Waiting to know a secret was heavy. Now I feel light.”
And the stone glowed. Just once. Then it became an ordinary stone again.
But Selenga kept it always. And whenever someone asked, she would say:
"This stone taught me what the world's most powerful force is."
“What is it?”
“Love.”
Frequently Asked Questions
**Can stones really talk?** In the world of fairy tales, anything is possible. But in real life, stones tell stories too—through the crystals inside them, the rivers that carried them, and the mountains they came from.
**Is love really the world's most powerful force?** That's what the story says. But what would your answer be?
A Note for Parents
After reading this story, ask your child: “What would you have answered?” This question opens the door to philosophical thinking and helps children develop their own wisdom.