what is a central idea of the three brass pennies?

The central idea of "The Three Brass Pennies" is that getting what you desire through magical means or wishes does not guarantee happiness or fulfillment. Instead, true contentment and success come from personal effort and hard work. The story illustrates this through a young scholar who is granted three wishes for saving a bee's life; he chooses ease of learning but soon grows bored and ultimately wishes to return to his original state, valuing the wisdom gained through his own hard work