Once upon a time,in the depths of a mountain range,there lived a tiger.
He was a very strong tiger,but,thanks to the fact that he was unusually clumsy,
he could hardly ever catch any animals.
One day he went out from his cave to look for food.As he went along he saw a cat
speeding towards him,coming down the mountainside.The cat's swift and easy movements were the envy of the tiger,which thought to himself,
"Wouldn't it be fine if I were as clever as the cat?"
He went to the cat and said pleadingly,"Honoured Teacher Cat,could you teach me how to
climb the mountain as you do?"
Knowing that tigers are wicked at heart,the cat was afaid that if she
taught him all she knew,then probably her own life would be in danger.She therefore
shook her head and said,rather hesitatingly.
"I don't think I'd better.If I do,how do I know you'll not use your knowledge against me?"
The tiger bowed and said
"I am a man of my word.If you will be so kind as to teach me,I will not betray your
goodness."
Trapped by these honeyed words,the cat began to be sympathetic.
She said,"All right.If you really promise that,and are sure you will not be
ungrateful,I"ll teach you."
The tiger was overjoyed.He kept his word for sometime,and behaved to the cat as
one should behave to a teacher.Everyday from dawn to dusk the cat did her best to
teach her pupil. Very soon she had taught him all her tricks except one.
The tiger was very pleased with himself and highly satisfied with the cat as a teacher.
Then one day,when he came to his teacher for further instruction,he looked at the
cat's plump body,and his mouth began to water.What a good meal she would make!
But the cat was fully aware of his bad intentions.She decided to give him a test.
"I have taught you all I know," she said.
"You need no further lessons."
The tiger thought his chance had come."Aha! he said to himself.This fat little cat
will not escape my claws now!" But he thought he had better make sure that he had not
misunderstood her,so he asked again,"Teacher Cat,are you certain you have taught me
everything?"
"Yes,everything!" said the wily cat.
An idea flashed into the tiger's head,and his eyes sparkled."Teacher," said he,"what is
that there on the tree?"
As the cat turned her head to look,the tiger,his jaws wide open and his claws out,
threw himself upon her.But as quickly the cat ran up the tree.
The cat sat up in the tree,and said indignantly,"Well! You ungrateful creature!
Your word is worth nothing.It was lucky for me that I had been prudent enough not to
teach you how to climb trees.If I had taught you that,I see,you would have eaten me
by now."
The tiger flew into a rage and flung himself repeatedly at the tree.But he did not know
how to climb it.He tried to gnaw it down,but the trunk was so thick that he could
make no impression on it.The tiger grew angrier and angrier, and raged about,but there was
nothing he could do.Finally the cat jumped easily to another tree,and then another,
until she had vanished.
All the tiger's wicked schemes came to naught,and all he could do was to make his way up
the mountain again.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Empty mind is devils work shop
There lived a very wealthy man.He had a son who was enjoying
all his wealth but had never done any hard work in life.
The son never understood what poverty was;neither did he understand how people
struggle to earn their living.
His wealth made him arrogant and he never mingled with any one.
He did not have any friends.All he had was money and time to spend it.
After his father's death he inherited all the wealth but no friendss or family.
He was alone in the big house.
His father used to help the poor in need,so after his father's death the poor came to him.
He didn't help anyone or do any good. He was cruel to everyone.
One day all the housekeepers in his house left the house and no one wanted to work for him.
He didn't even have any person to take care of him.
He realized hat everyone in the town hated him.
Solitude surrounded him and he didn't know what to do.
One Sunday morning,he decided to go to the church after a longtime.
He went to the priest and confessed that he had been cruel to peple.
He said
"People in the town hate me.No one wants to work for me.
Nobody even talks to me."
The priest said
"My son, I have a solution to your problem.
Will you listen to what ever I ask you to do?"
The man said
"Yes I will.Just tell me how I can become a good person and make
people to like me?"
The priest said
"Well, then you have to live in the church for three months and do some
service here."
The rich man agreed and the next day he packed all his clothes,money and
a comfortable mattress and went to the church.
The priest looked at him and said "You can stay in the church,but not your
belongings.When you live here you have to live like others."
So the man had to give away what ever he brought with him.
The priest made him mop the floor and do some hard work.
The rich man found it very hard to do work,as he had never done it before.
He could not tolerate the amount of hardwork he had to put in.
Days passed by.After three months the priest called him and asked him
"How do you feel after all this work you did"?
He said
"I didn't know people around me work so hard to earn their living.
I didn't respect anyone because I had lot of money.I didn't know what
hardship was".
He also realized that he had to respect everyone around him.
Until three months back his mind was empty,he didn't know what to do with money.
But after all the work he did,he realized how important money was to people
and how hard they work for it.
He became more kind and helepful to people there after.
all his wealth but had never done any hard work in life.
The son never understood what poverty was;neither did he understand how people
struggle to earn their living.
His wealth made him arrogant and he never mingled with any one.
He did not have any friends.All he had was money and time to spend it.
After his father's death he inherited all the wealth but no friendss or family.
He was alone in the big house.
His father used to help the poor in need,so after his father's death the poor came to him.
He didn't help anyone or do any good. He was cruel to everyone.
One day all the housekeepers in his house left the house and no one wanted to work for him.
He didn't even have any person to take care of him.
He realized hat everyone in the town hated him.
Solitude surrounded him and he didn't know what to do.
One Sunday morning,he decided to go to the church after a longtime.
He went to the priest and confessed that he had been cruel to peple.
He said
"People in the town hate me.No one wants to work for me.
Nobody even talks to me."
The priest said
"My son, I have a solution to your problem.
Will you listen to what ever I ask you to do?"
The man said
"Yes I will.Just tell me how I can become a good person and make
people to like me?"
The priest said
"Well, then you have to live in the church for three months and do some
service here."
The rich man agreed and the next day he packed all his clothes,money and
a comfortable mattress and went to the church.
The priest looked at him and said "You can stay in the church,but not your
belongings.When you live here you have to live like others."
So the man had to give away what ever he brought with him.
The priest made him mop the floor and do some hard work.
The rich man found it very hard to do work,as he had never done it before.
He could not tolerate the amount of hardwork he had to put in.
Days passed by.After three months the priest called him and asked him
"How do you feel after all this work you did"?
He said
"I didn't know people around me work so hard to earn their living.
I didn't respect anyone because I had lot of money.I didn't know what
hardship was".
He also realized that he had to respect everyone around him.
Until three months back his mind was empty,he didn't know what to do with money.
But after all the work he did,he realized how important money was to people
and how hard they work for it.
He became more kind and helepful to people there after.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Appearance is Deceptive
There was a big tree on the banks of a long flowing river.
A pigeon was sitting on one of the branches of the tree.Along the banks
the pigeon noticed an ant,which was almost drowning in the waterof the river.
The pigeon felt pity for the ant and decided to save its life.
It plucked a leaf from the tree with the help of its beak and threw it in the water.
The ant was thankful and climbed on the leaf with difficulty.
As the waves were moving,it also drifted the leaf to the banks.
Then the pigeon pulled the leaf and the ant out.The ant took a while to recover and thanked the pigeon for its kindness and timely help.
The ant also mentioned that it would help the pigeon in need.The pigeon looked at
the ant and said in voice of pride "You are such a small creature,and
you cann't even protect yourself then how can you help me?"
The ant kept quiet and bid good-bye to the pigeon.
A few days later the pigeon was sitting on the same tree without knowing
that a hunter was aiming his arrow towards it.The hunter was imagining a
delicious meal with the pigeon.
The ant was shocked to see the hunter aim at the pigeon that saved its life.
It immediately bit the hunter's leg.The hunter screamed in pain and lost his aim.
In the meantime the pigeon flew away.
The pigeon then felt ashamed for insulting the ant about its size.
It also learnt that,however small or big a person is,we should not come to a
conclusion about their potential and ability.
A pigeon was sitting on one of the branches of the tree.Along the banks
the pigeon noticed an ant,which was almost drowning in the waterof the river.
The pigeon felt pity for the ant and decided to save its life.
It plucked a leaf from the tree with the help of its beak and threw it in the water.
The ant was thankful and climbed on the leaf with difficulty.
As the waves were moving,it also drifted the leaf to the banks.
Then the pigeon pulled the leaf and the ant out.The ant took a while to recover and thanked the pigeon for its kindness and timely help.
The ant also mentioned that it would help the pigeon in need.The pigeon looked at
the ant and said in voice of pride "You are such a small creature,and
you cann't even protect yourself then how can you help me?"
The ant kept quiet and bid good-bye to the pigeon.
A few days later the pigeon was sitting on the same tree without knowing
that a hunter was aiming his arrow towards it.The hunter was imagining a
delicious meal with the pigeon.
The ant was shocked to see the hunter aim at the pigeon that saved its life.
It immediately bit the hunter's leg.The hunter screamed in pain and lost his aim.
In the meantime the pigeon flew away.
The pigeon then felt ashamed for insulting the ant about its size.
It also learnt that,however small or big a person is,we should not come to a
conclusion about their potential and ability.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Prudence and Wealth
There lived an old man in a small town.
He was very rich and he had earned all his wealth by
hard work and efforts.
He fell sick one time and wanted to write his will before his death.
He had two sons Pat and Jeff to inherit the wealth.
But the old man did not want to divide the money among the two equally.
He wanted to give the wealth to the most intelligent and the mostcareful one who thinks
twice before utilizing the money for anything.
He didn't want his sons to become lazy and not work after acquiring
all the wealth.
He had plan to find out which one of his sons,deserve all the money.
So he called Pat, the oldet of his sons and Jeff his little brother
to his bed and said" Dear sons,you both know that I am sick and I don't have
much time left in this world.But I want to give all my wealth to just one of you
who would be careful with money and would take very good care of it.
I found the best way to find out who deserves the wealth."
Pat and Jeff agreed to their father and said " Father,please go ahead and let us know
what we have to do to prove to you that we can handle the wealth carefully."
Their father gve each of them 100 $ and directed them to two different rooms
and said "Sons,this 100 $ is to test you. You both have to make use of this money
and fill the rooms."
"I don't care what you do but you just have to fill the room with whatever you buy
for the money."
Pat and Jeff were confused,but agreed to their father's words and left with the money.
Pat went around looking for something that would fill the room.
He went to a furniture store,marketplace but he could not find anything
that would fill the room like his father had mentioned.
Jeff sat at home and thought deeply.
Nextday both the sons walked to father's bed and gave him the room keys.
Father walked to Pat's room slowly and opened it. The room was filled with straw.
He could not even enter the room. It did not have even an inch of space.
Pat had really filled the room.
Father asked "Well son, you have indeed filled the room. Do you have any money left?".
Pat looked at him proudly and said "I do Dad." and gave him two dollars.
He had used 98$ for the straw.
It was Jeff's turn now.
Father opened the door.To his surprise there was nothing in the room.
Father walked inside and saw a small lamp that was switched on in one corner
of the room.
Jeff looked at his father and said"Dad I filled the room with light."
He gave 98% back and said "I just used two dollars for the small lamp and saved 98 $."
Father was very happy with what Jeff did.
Eventhough he could have used all the money his father gave him,
Jeff was prudent enough to think and use just 2 $ and act smart by filling the room
with light.
Father gave Jeff all the wealth for his forethought abd smartness.
He was very rich and he had earned all his wealth by
hard work and efforts.
He fell sick one time and wanted to write his will before his death.
He had two sons Pat and Jeff to inherit the wealth.
But the old man did not want to divide the money among the two equally.
He wanted to give the wealth to the most intelligent and the mostcareful one who thinks
twice before utilizing the money for anything.
He didn't want his sons to become lazy and not work after acquiring
all the wealth.
He had plan to find out which one of his sons,deserve all the money.
So he called Pat, the oldet of his sons and Jeff his little brother
to his bed and said" Dear sons,you both know that I am sick and I don't have
much time left in this world.But I want to give all my wealth to just one of you
who would be careful with money and would take very good care of it.
I found the best way to find out who deserves the wealth."
Pat and Jeff agreed to their father and said " Father,please go ahead and let us know
what we have to do to prove to you that we can handle the wealth carefully."
Their father gve each of them 100 $ and directed them to two different rooms
and said "Sons,this 100 $ is to test you. You both have to make use of this money
and fill the rooms."
"I don't care what you do but you just have to fill the room with whatever you buy
for the money."
Pat and Jeff were confused,but agreed to their father's words and left with the money.
Pat went around looking for something that would fill the room.
He went to a furniture store,marketplace but he could not find anything
that would fill the room like his father had mentioned.
Jeff sat at home and thought deeply.
Nextday both the sons walked to father's bed and gave him the room keys.
Father walked to Pat's room slowly and opened it. The room was filled with straw.
He could not even enter the room. It did not have even an inch of space.
Pat had really filled the room.
Father asked "Well son, you have indeed filled the room. Do you have any money left?".
Pat looked at him proudly and said "I do Dad." and gave him two dollars.
He had used 98$ for the straw.
It was Jeff's turn now.
Father opened the door.To his surprise there was nothing in the room.
Father walked inside and saw a small lamp that was switched on in one corner
of the room.
Jeff looked at his father and said"Dad I filled the room with light."
He gave 98% back and said "I just used two dollars for the small lamp and saved 98 $."
Father was very happy with what Jeff did.
Eventhough he could have used all the money his father gave him,
Jeff was prudent enough to think and use just 2 $ and act smart by filling the room
with light.
Father gave Jeff all the wealth for his forethought abd smartness.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Good Friends
Ryan and his parents lived in a beautiful house in a small town.
Ryan was their only child and they wished all goodness and good behavior for him.
But there was something which bothered Ryan's father very much. It was Ryan's
friends who were very arrogant.
His friends didn't want to go to school,they whiled away time roaming around places
and also developed bad habits.
Ryan's dad was worried even more to see his dear son,friends with them.
He said
"Son,you are a wonderful child,but your company of friends are not well mannered
good kids.I'am afraid you w'll develop bad habits from them."
But Ryan considered his friendship more important and did not listen to his father.
His father wanted him to understand the seriousness of what he was advising.
Next day,Ryan's dad took him to the market place to buy fruits.
He picked four good apples and one rotten apple from the market.
Ryan was confused and asked
"Dad, why did you take that rotten apple?
No one can eat that anyway."
Dad said
"Wait till tomorrow morning my son. You will understand
why I did that."
Ryan was very eager to see what will happen the next day.
That night Ryan's father placed the good apples in one basket
and placed the rotten apple in the middle and went to bed.
Next morning Ryan woke up and walked to the basket to see what happened.
He was surprised to see that the rest of the apples have started to rot.
He ran to his father and said
"Dad, you did a miatake.You kept the rotten apple with the good ones and
now all of them are rotting."
Dad said
"I know it Ryan. But what do you understand by this?"
Ryan said
"You must not keep the rotten fruit with good ones.
The bad one will spoil the good ones and we can not eat any of it."
Dad said
"Exactly my son,same thing implies to your friendship too Even if there is one bad person in the friends group they will change the rest.
So bad company is harmful to you."
Dad also said
"You are a wonderful kid,we know that you will not choose the wrong
path in life.But just like the apple story bad company will ruin your life too."
Ryan hugged his father and said
"Thank you dad for teaching me this.
I promise I will be a good kid and avoid bad company."
Ryan was their only child and they wished all goodness and good behavior for him.
But there was something which bothered Ryan's father very much. It was Ryan's
friends who were very arrogant.
His friends didn't want to go to school,they whiled away time roaming around places
and also developed bad habits.
Ryan's dad was worried even more to see his dear son,friends with them.
He said
"Son,you are a wonderful child,but your company of friends are not well mannered
good kids.I'am afraid you w'll develop bad habits from them."
But Ryan considered his friendship more important and did not listen to his father.
His father wanted him to understand the seriousness of what he was advising.
Next day,Ryan's dad took him to the market place to buy fruits.
He picked four good apples and one rotten apple from the market.
Ryan was confused and asked
"Dad, why did you take that rotten apple?
No one can eat that anyway."
Dad said
"Wait till tomorrow morning my son. You will understand
why I did that."
Ryan was very eager to see what will happen the next day.
That night Ryan's father placed the good apples in one basket
and placed the rotten apple in the middle and went to bed.
Next morning Ryan woke up and walked to the basket to see what happened.
He was surprised to see that the rest of the apples have started to rot.
He ran to his father and said
"Dad, you did a miatake.You kept the rotten apple with the good ones and
now all of them are rotting."
Dad said
"I know it Ryan. But what do you understand by this?"
Ryan said
"You must not keep the rotten fruit with good ones.
The bad one will spoil the good ones and we can not eat any of it."
Dad said
"Exactly my son,same thing implies to your friendship too Even if there is one bad person in the friends group they will change the rest.
So bad company is harmful to you."
Dad also said
"You are a wonderful kid,we know that you will not choose the wrong
path in life.But just like the apple story bad company will ruin your life too."
Ryan hugged his father and said
"Thank you dad for teaching me this.
I promise I will be a good kid and avoid bad company."
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Food and Energy
One day all the parts of the human body had a discussion about the importance of
each.It was the turn of the "Head" to talk about it'simportance.
Head said.
"I"am the most important of all.I have in me the eyes to see,nose to breathe,
ears to hear and mouth to eat."
Hand said
"I have the ability to move.,without me the head cannot eat anything,
because I carry the food to the mouth."
Leg said
"If it weren't for me you all would be in place.I'm the one who carries you around
places."
They all looked at the stomach and said
"You don't do any work except to take all the food we give you"
Hand said
"Whatever food I carry and give to mouth goes to the stomach."
Leg said
"Very true, I too walk and do a lot of work.I get very tired but I don't
enjoy anything where as stomach takes everything from us and does nothing
back to us."
So the rest of the parts of the body decided not to give stomach any food.
One day passed
Head started aching.Hands started trembling.Legs started dragging.
Second day
Head could not tolerate the pain.Hands and legs could hardly move.
It was time for stomach to speak up.
Stomach asked
"Do you all know why all of you are so tired?"
They said "No"
Stomach said
"All of you had a feeling that I enjoyed whatever food you gave me,
so you stopped giving me any food."
"But the truth is I take the food from you and digest it to give energy
for all of you to function.Whatever you gave me,I return it to you as energy.
The moment you stopped feeding me you lost all the energy,so you could not move,
you started aching."
Hands,legs and head understood that if they took care of the stomach by giving it
proper food,the stomach would give them energy and take care of them.
Every part needed each other to funcion well.
each.It was the turn of the "Head" to talk about it'simportance.
Head said.
"I"am the most important of all.I have in me the eyes to see,nose to breathe,
ears to hear and mouth to eat."
Hand said
"I have the ability to move.,without me the head cannot eat anything,
because I carry the food to the mouth."
Leg said
"If it weren't for me you all would be in place.I'm the one who carries you around
places."
They all looked at the stomach and said
"You don't do any work except to take all the food we give you"
Hand said
"Whatever food I carry and give to mouth goes to the stomach."
Leg said
"Very true, I too walk and do a lot of work.I get very tired but I don't
enjoy anything where as stomach takes everything from us and does nothing
back to us."
So the rest of the parts of the body decided not to give stomach any food.
One day passed
Head started aching.Hands started trembling.Legs started dragging.
Second day
Head could not tolerate the pain.Hands and legs could hardly move.
It was time for stomach to speak up.
Stomach asked
"Do you all know why all of you are so tired?"
They said "No"
Stomach said
"All of you had a feeling that I enjoyed whatever food you gave me,
so you stopped giving me any food."
"But the truth is I take the food from you and digest it to give energy
for all of you to function.Whatever you gave me,I return it to you as energy.
The moment you stopped feeding me you lost all the energy,so you could not move,
you started aching."
Hands,legs and head understood that if they took care of the stomach by giving it
proper food,the stomach would give them energy and take care of them.
Every part needed each other to funcion well.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Fate of the little fish
There was a small river in which daddy fish was trying to teach the baby fish
how to swim.
The baby fish was finding it very hard to learn and it was heart broken.
Daddy fish felt sorry for its son and said
"Watch me swim and follow me along the waves.
You will swim very well very soon."
The baby fish was obedient and followed all the instructions its father gave.
Days passed by and the son fish learnt to swim very well.
Daddy fish was proud to see its son swim well.
Father fish was slowing down a little bit,as it was getting old.
One day both of them left to search for food.
Son fish was following the daddy fish that was swimming slowly.
It got impatient and said
"Dad,you swim very slow,look at the way I swim,I move like a breeze."
It also said
"You are too old,you can't even swim properly.Idon't want to swim with you.
I'm loosing all the fun because of you."
Father fish felt very sad of its son's arrogance but kept quiet
and continued swimming slowly.
The son fish took lead and swam very fast.
They could not find any prey and they didn't stop searching.
Suddenly father fish that is experienced in finding prey for the family found a fly fall
in water.It swam fast and caught it.
The son noticed it and was jealous because its old father could catch its prey
and it had not caught any yet.
It wanted to prove to its father that it was superior.
So it swam faster than ever and found a worm wiggling in the water
near the shore.
Overjoyed by that,it opened its mouth to catch it.
Father fish saw its son and yelled
"Stop it son,don't catch that worm."
Son ignored its father and caught the worm.
All of a sudden the fish felt its mouth caught with the worm.
It only then realized that the worm was bait,but it was too late.
Father fish wept when it saw the son fish being pulled along with the bait.
The fisherman on the shore pulled the bait and along came the fish.
The fish understood that its father stopped it from catching the bait.
It failed to understand that though its father was old,it was experienced and could
differnetiate between bait and food.
But it was too late to learn that with experience and modesty one would
achieve more than with arrogance and jealousy.
how to swim.
The baby fish was finding it very hard to learn and it was heart broken.
Daddy fish felt sorry for its son and said
"Watch me swim and follow me along the waves.
You will swim very well very soon."
The baby fish was obedient and followed all the instructions its father gave.
Days passed by and the son fish learnt to swim very well.
Daddy fish was proud to see its son swim well.
Father fish was slowing down a little bit,as it was getting old.
One day both of them left to search for food.
Son fish was following the daddy fish that was swimming slowly.
It got impatient and said
"Dad,you swim very slow,look at the way I swim,I move like a breeze."
It also said
"You are too old,you can't even swim properly.Idon't want to swim with you.
I'm loosing all the fun because of you."
Father fish felt very sad of its son's arrogance but kept quiet
and continued swimming slowly.
The son fish took lead and swam very fast.
They could not find any prey and they didn't stop searching.
Suddenly father fish that is experienced in finding prey for the family found a fly fall
in water.It swam fast and caught it.
The son noticed it and was jealous because its old father could catch its prey
and it had not caught any yet.
It wanted to prove to its father that it was superior.
So it swam faster than ever and found a worm wiggling in the water
near the shore.
Overjoyed by that,it opened its mouth to catch it.
Father fish saw its son and yelled
"Stop it son,don't catch that worm."
Son ignored its father and caught the worm.
All of a sudden the fish felt its mouth caught with the worm.
It only then realized that the worm was bait,but it was too late.
Father fish wept when it saw the son fish being pulled along with the bait.
The fisherman on the shore pulled the bait and along came the fish.
The fish understood that its father stopped it from catching the bait.
It failed to understand that though its father was old,it was experienced and could
differnetiate between bait and food.
But it was too late to learn that with experience and modesty one would
achieve more than with arrogance and jealousy.