The Sparrow with a split Tongue

The theme of this story "The Sparrow with a split Tongue" by Andrew Lang is that greed and selfishness cause unhappiness while kindness and selflessness bring rewards. In the story, the man is amply rewarded because of his good character. He is kind to the sparrow and clearly cares about it. He cares enough to wander around, trying to find the sparrow. He is humble and selfless enough to meet the sparrow's family, listen to them, and then pick the small treasure.