The Miser's Lesson: The Value of Possession and Purpose

Once upon a time, there was a Miser who had buried his gold in a secret spot within his garden. Every day, he would visit the location, unearth his treasure, and meticulously count each piece to ensure nothing was missing. The Miser made numerous trips, unaware that a cunning Thief had been observing his actions and had deduced the whereabouts of the hidden gold. Under the cover of darkness, the Thief silently dug up the treasure and swiftly absconded with it.

Upon discovering the loss, the Miser was overwhelmed with grief and despair. He lamented, groaned, cried, and even resorted to tearing his own hair in anguish. A passerby happened to hear his anguished cries and approached to inquire about the matter.

"What has happened?" asked the passerby, noticing the Miser's distress.

"My gold! Oh, my gold!" wailed the Miser frantically. "Someone has robbed me!"

The passerby, taken aback, pointed at the hole where the gold had been buried and questioned the Miser's decision. "Your gold was there, in that hole? Why did you choose to hide it there? Why didn't you keep it securely within your house, where you could easily access it when needed for purchases?"

"Purchase!" the Miser screamed, his anger flaring. "I never even touched that gold. I couldn't bear the thought of spending any of it."

Seizing upon the Miser's revelation, the stranger grabbed a large stone nearby and tossed it into the hole. "If that's the case," the stranger remarked, "then cover up that hole with this stone. It holds just as much value to you as the treasure you lost!"

The moral of the story is that saving and spending wisely is commendable when done for a purpose. Otherwise, mere possession holds little worth unless we put it to good use.

A doctor, A lawyer, A little boy and A priest.

A doctor, a lawyer, a little boy and a priest were out for a Sunday afternoon flight on a small private plane.

 

Suddenly, the plane developed engine trouble. In spite of the best efforts of the pilot, the plane started to go down. Finally, the pilot grabbed a parachute, yelled to the passengers that they had better jump, and bailed out.

 

Unfortunately, there were only three parachutes remaining.

 

The doctor grabbed one and said "I'm a doctor, I save lives, so I must live," and jumped out.

 

The lawyer then said, "I'm a lawyer and lawyers are the smartest people in the world. I deserve to live." He also grabbed a parachute and jumped.

 

The priest looked at the little boy and said, "My son, I've lived a long and full life. You are young and have your whole life ahead of you. Take the last parachute and live in peace."

 

The little boy handed the parachute back to the priest and said, "Not to worry, Father. The 'smartest man in the world' just took off with my back pack."

 

Lesson: Even the smartest make mistakes and sometimes you're job doesn't really define you

 

Face Difficulties Positively

This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, HE WOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!

This he did, blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up!” He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him … all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT’S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity.

 

The Slave and the Lion

A rich man had a slave. The man was very cruel to him. So the slave became sick of his cruel treatment. He decided to run away from his master.

 

He got a chance and ran away to a forest. There he hid himself in a cave. As he lay there thinking, he heard the groaning of the lion.

 

He was frightened. As the lion came near, he saw that he was limping. The lion approached the slave and held out his paw.

 

The slave saw that his paw was swollen and a thorn was stuck in it. The slave drew out the thorn very gently. The lion was relieved of pain and went away. Afterwards they became friends.

 

By chance the slave was arrested by his master's men. He was brought to his master who ordered his men to put him before a hungry lion. The day for punishment was fixed.

 

The people of the town were invited to see the wonderful fight. The lion was freed from the cage to pounce upon the slave when he recognized him.

 

He now advanced slowly towards him and began to lick his hands out of love. It was the same lion, his friend. The slave too, patted him.

 

It was a wonderful sight for the people. The lion was given to him as a reward. The slave was set free.

 

Moral:

Kindness is always rewarded.

The Cycle of Deeds: A Tale of Transformation and Consequences

Once upon a time, there ruled a king known for his cruelty and injustice. His subjects, burdened by his tyrannical reign, secretly wished for his demise or removal from the throne. However, one day, to everyone's surprise, the king made a startling announcement. He declared that he had chosen to embark on a new path, free from cruelty and injustice.

True to his word, the king transformed into a benevolent ruler, earning himself the reputation of the "Gentle Monarch." Months after his remarkable change, one of his ministers gathered enough courage to inquire about the catalyst behind his newfound compassion.

In response, the king recounted an incident he had witnessed while galloping through his forests. He had come across a fox being chased by a hound. Although the fox managed to escape into its hole, it had been bitten by the hound, resulting in a lifelong lameness. Shortly after, the king ventured into a village and encountered the same hound, which was barking aggressively at a man. To his surprise, the man retaliated by hurling a massive stone at the dog, breaking its leg. However, his act of vengeance was short-lived, as he was kicked by a horse and suffered a shattered knee, leaving him disabled. The horse, in turn, ran but stumbled into a hole, breaking its own leg.

Reflecting upon these interconnected events, the king experienced a moment of profound realization. He understood the principle that "evil begets evil." If he were to persist in his wicked ways, he would inevitably face the consequences of his actions. Driven by this epiphany, he resolved to change his behavior and become a force for good.

The minister, having heard this tale, departed with a conviction that the time was ripe to overthrow the king and seize the throne for himself. Lost in his plotting, he failed to notice the steps in front of him and tragically fell, breaking his neck.

The moral of the story is that the cycle of deeds ensures that we reap what we sow. Good actions beget good outcomes, while harmful actions eventually catch up with us. It serves as a reminder that our treatment of others directly impacts the consequences we face in life.

The Farmer's Greed: A Lesson in Contentment and Sharing

Once upon a time, in a distant village, there lived a wealthy farmer who was consumed by greed. His insatiable desire led him to hoard all the good things solely for himself.

One fateful day, an intriguing proposition came his way. He was offered a deal: if he could return to his starting point before sunset, he would be granted the length of land he covered throughout the day's journey. Eager to seize this opportunity, the farmer set off early the next morning, determined to cover as much ground as possible.

Driven by his greed, he swiftly traversed great distances, relentlessly pushing himself even when fatigue set in. He refused to relinquish the chance to amass more wealth, considering it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

However, as evening approached, a sudden realization struck him—he had neglected the condition of returning to the starting point before sunset. Regrettably, his insatiable greed had led him far astray from his original location.

With a surge of panic, he initiated his arduous journey back, monitoring the setting sun with increasing anxiety. As the sunset loomed nearer, he sprinted with all his might, utterly exhausted and gasping for breath. Driven beyond his limits, he pushed himself relentlessly.

Finally, just moments before the sun vanished below the horizon, he reached the starting point. However, the strain proved too much for his weakened body, and he collapsed, ultimately losing his life. Ironically, after covering such vast distances, all the farmer required was a small plot of land for his burial.

The moral of this story emphasizes the importance of avoiding greed, particularly for children. Greed can lead to relentless pursuit of unnecessary possessions, neglecting one's health and disregarding the well-being of others, much like the fate of the farmer. Instead, we should strive to be content with what we have and cultivate a spirit of sharing and gratitude, even with our limited resources.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

In a small village nestled at the foot of a hill, the villagers lived harmoniously, and among them resided a shepherd boy. Every day, from sunrise to sunset, he would lead his sheep to graze in the valley and return home with them in the evening.

One day, mischief entered the mind of the shepherd boy. He devised a plan to trick the villagers. With all his might, he shouted, "Wolf, Wolf!" The alarmed villagers swiftly rushed to the scene, brandishing their sticks and weapons, ready to defend the boy and his flock. But to their surprise, there was no wolf in sight. The shepherd boy burst into laughter, reveling in his successful deceit.

A few days later, the shepherd boy repeated his act, once again crying out, "Wolf, Wolf!" The villagers, still wary from the previous incident, hurriedly assembled with their weapons, believing they were coming to the boy's aid. Yet, upon arriving, they witnessed the shepherd boy mocking them once more. Annoyed and frustrated, they departed, feeling deceived by the boy's antics.

However, fate had its own plans. One fateful day, a real wolf emerged in the valley, posing a genuine threat to the shepherd boy and his sheep. Desperately, the boy cried out, "Wolf, Wolf!" But this time, the villagers dismissed his plea as another ploy to mislead them. They paid no heed and chose not to come to his rescue.

Tragically, the wolf attacked the shepherd boy, claiming his life, and leaving a few sheep injured. As the boy faced his imminent demise, he realized the grave consequences of his lies. Deception, he understood, does not lead to favorable outcomes; instead, it creates troubles for the liar.

This timeless tale serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and the repercussions of deceit. It cautions against the temptation to mislead others for personal amusement, as the trust and credibility one builds through truthfulness are invaluable. Ultimately, the story emphasizes the significance of integrity and the inherent dangers of weaving a web of falsehoods.