The Farmer and the Well.

A farmer looking for a source of water for his farm bought a well from his neighbor. The neighbor was cunning, though, and refused to let the farmer take water from the well. On asking why, he replied, “I sold the well to you, not the water”, and walked away. The distraught farmer didn’t know what to do. So he went to Birbal, a clever man and one of the nine courtiers of Emperor Akbar, for a solution.

The emperor called the farmer and his neighbor and asked why the man was not letting the farmer draw water from the well. The cunning man said the same thing again, “I sold the well, not the water. So he cannot take my water”.

To this, Birbal replied, “All that sounds fine to me. But if you have sold the water and the water is yours, then you have no business keeping your water in his well. Remove the water or use it all up immediately. If not the water will belong to the owner of the well”.

Realizing that he’s been tricked and taught his lesson, the man apologized and left.

Moral Cheating will not get you anything. If you do cheat, you’ll pay for it soon enough.

A New Perspective on Life

Once, there was a blind girl who carried a deep hatred for herself because of her blindness. She held resentment towards everyone, except for her loving boyfriend, who stood by her side through it all.

She often expressed her desire to see the world, believing that if she could regain her sight, she would marry her boyfriend. Then, one fortunate day, someone generously donated a pair of eyes to her, and her world was transformed as she could finally see everything, including her boyfriend.

When her boyfriend asked if she would now marry him, she was taken aback by what she discovered—her beloved boyfriend was also blind. Overwhelmed by this realization, she refused his proposal. With tears in his eyes, her boyfriend walked away but left her a heartfelt letter that spoke volumes:

“Please take care of my eyes, my dear.”

This poignant incident reveals how our perception of others can change when our own circumstances change. Only a few people remember their past and acknowledge those who have stood by them in the most difficult times.

The story serves as a reminder that life is a precious gift. Before uttering unkind words, think of those who cannot speak. Before complaining about the taste of your food, consider those who have nothing to eat. Before criticizing your spouse, empathize with those longing for a companion. Before complaining about life's hardships, reflect on those who left this world prematurely.

Think of those who yearn for children when you find fault with your own. Instead of grumbling about a messy home, remember those who live on the streets. When you complain about a long commute, imagine those who traverse the same distance on foot. And when you feel weary and discontented with your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who long for the opportunities you possess.

Before pointing fingers or passing judgment on others, remember that each of us carries our own flaws and will ultimately answer to a higher power. In moments of despondency, put a smile on your face and be grateful for the gift of life and the opportunity to still be present in this world.

Life is indeed a precious gift. Live it to the fullest, embrace its joys, celebrate its moments, and strive to fulfill your purpose.

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.