The morning sun painted the clouds with soft golden streaks as Aryan walked through the quiet pathways of Aranyapur. His mind had been buzzing for days. He had learned how businesses grow, how supply and demand move prices, and how emotions influence markets. But today, the Market Monk had promised to teach him something deeper—what it truly means to own a stock.
Aryan found the Monk sitting under a banyan tree, surrounded by curious sparrows pecking at seeds.
“Master,” Aryan greeted, “I’m ready for today’s lesson.”
The Monk smiled. “Good. Today, you will buy a slice of Apple.”
Aryan froze. “A slice of… what?”
“Apple,” the Monk repeated calmly. “Not the fruit. The company.”
Aryan’s heart raced. He had always heard stories of big companies—Apple, Tesla, Samsung, Disney. But buying even the smallest piece felt like touching the sky.
“But Master,” Aryan hesitated, “how can an ordinary person like me ever own a piece of such a giant?”
The Monk raised his hand, signaling him to sit.
“That,” he said, “is exactly what I will teach you.”
The Fruit Shop Analogy
The Monk plucked a fresh apple from his basket and placed it before Aryan.
“Tell me,” he asked, “if this apple is cut into 10 slices, and I give you one slice, what do you own?”
“A part of the apple,” Aryan replied.
“Good. Now imagine a mighty Apple tree with thousands of fruits. Anyone can buy a slice of that tree—not to eat, but to share its value. That is what owning a stock means.”
Aryan’s eyes widened. “So, buying a stock means buying a slice of the entire business?”
“Exactly,” said the Monk. “Not the whole fruit, but a slice. And with that slice comes something very powerful—ownership.”
The Story of Apple Hill
The Monk pointed to a distant hill where sunlight reflected off glass windows.
“Up on that hill,” the Monk said, “lives a group of master craftsmen who build incredible devices that the whole world loves. Their company is called Apple Hill.”
Aryan smiled. “Is this your way of telling me the story of Apple Inc.?”
The Monk winked.
“People across the world admire these craftsmen. Their designs are beautiful, their devices magical, and their reputation strong.”
“But long ago,” the Monk continued, “they realized a simple truth: to grow large dreams, you need many dreamers.”
So the craftsmen divided their company into millions of tiny pieces—shares—and offered them to people everywhere.
Anyone, from a king to a farmer, could buy a slice of Apple Hill.
Aryan listened, captivated.
“And because people believed in Apple Hill’s vision, they purchased these slices. With the money they raised, the craftsmen built new devices, expanded their workshops, trained better creators, and became one of the most admired companies in the world.”
“So,” Aryan said slowly, “even someone far away can own a share of their success.”
“Exactly. Ownership has no borders.”
The First Slice
The Monk opened his leather pouch and handed Aryan a small wooden token engraved with a shiny apple symbol.
“This,” the Monk said, “represents one share of Apple Hill.”
Aryan held it reverently. It felt light, but the meaning felt heavy.
“Do you know what this slice gives you?” asked the Monk.
Aryan shrugged. “Maybe profit?”
The Monk chuckled. “More than profit.”
He raised his fingers one by one:
- Ownership
“You become part-owner of the company. Even if your ownership is small, you are still an owner.”
- A Right to the Company’s Growth
“When the company grows, your slice becomes more valuable.”
- A Right to Information
“You can see how the company earns, spends, and innovates.”
- A Right to Vote (in many companies)
“You can vote on important decisions. Your voice matters.”
- A Right to a Share of Earnings
“If the company rewards shareholders, you may receive dividends—your part of the profit.”
Aryan sat stunned. He had never understood stocks this way.
He always thought they were symbols on a screen—not pieces of a living, breathing business.
The Journey to Apple Hill
The Monk guided Aryan up the hill where Apple Hill workshops were buzzing with activity.
Workers designed new tools. Engineers crafted beautiful devices. Managers planned improvements. Everyone worked together to build something valuable.
“When you own a share,” the Monk said, “you own a tiny part of all of this.”
Aryan felt a strange pride. Though he held only one symbolic share, it felt meaningful.
“This gives investing purpose,” Aryan whispered. “It’s not numbers—it’s belonging.”
The Monk nodded. “When investors forget they are owners, they panic at every small movement. But when they remember they are part of a real business, they think long-term.”
When the Market Fluctuates
As they returned to the marketplace, Aryan noticed prices displayed on digital boards flickering up and down.
“Why does my slice of Apple Hill change in value every day?” he asked.
The Monk replied:
“Because people constantly vote with their money—hope, fear, excitement, confusion. But remember—”
He pointed to the workshops glowing on the hill.
“—a business’s value grows with its work, not with daily moods.”
Aryan breathed deeply. Understanding ownership changed everything.
Stocks were not guesses.
They were not predictions.
They were participation.
The Final Lesson
As the sky turned deep orange, the Monk said:
“When you buy a slice of a company, ask yourself:
‘Do I want to be an owner of this business?’
Not—
❌ ‘Will the price go up tomorrow?’
❌ ‘Will people like it today?’
But—
‘Is this a business I believe in?’
‘Would I be proud to own a piece of it?’
‘Do I understand what it does?’”
Aryan smiled, clutching the wooden token.
“So today,” he said softly, “I didn’t buy a stock.
I bought a story.
I bought belief.
I bought a slice of Apple.”
The Monk nodded warmly.
“And that,” he said, “is what ownership truly means.”