A farmer walking home from his field saw a bruised apple in the middle of the road. Annoyed that it was not fit to eat, he kicked at it. To his amazement, the apple doubled in size. He kicked it again, and the apple grew so big as to block the road.

An old man who was walking to his hut nearby advised the farmer, “Leave the apple alone, my friend, for it is the apple of discord. If you had ignored it, it would have remained a small, negligible fruit. But if you try to kick it out of your way, it will just grow bigger and become far too large and difficult to handle.”

Question

A farmer walking home from his field saw a bruised apple in the middle of the road. Annoyed that it was not fit to eat, he kicked at it. To his amazement, the apple doubled in size. He kicked it again, and the apple grew so big as to block the road. 

An old man who was walking to his hut nearby advised the farmer, “Leave the apple alone, my friend, for it is the apple of discord. If you had ignored it, it would have remained a small, negligible fruit. But if you try to kick it out of your way, it will just grow bigger and become far too large and difficult to handle.”

anonymous · Answer

Which universal theme is evident in this parable?
initiation into adulthood
cause and effect
duty versus desire
reality and illusion