Short Stories

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A Hole in The Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father
gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his
temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over
the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number
of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it
was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the
fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at
all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy
now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his
temper. The day passed and the young boy was finally able to tell
his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the
hand and led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my
son, but look at the holes in the fence.”

The fence will never be the same. When you say things in
anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You
can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It
won’t matter how many times you say I’m
sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound
is as bad as a physical one.

Friends and loved ones are a very rare


jewel, indeed. They make you smile and
encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear,
they share a word of praise, and they always
want to open their hearts to us. Water your relationships with
kindness… and they will grow. So be careful little lips what you
say…! And you won't chase friendships away.

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Butterfly and Cocoon

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.


One day a small opening appeared; he sat
and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to force its body through that
little hole. Then it seemed to stop making
any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten
as far as it could and it could go no farther.

Then the man decided to help the


butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining
bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a
swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he


expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand
to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its


life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It
never was able to fly.

What this man in his kindness and haste did not understand
was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the
butterfly to get through the tiny opening were nature's way of
forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it
would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the
cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If


nature allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it
would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have
been. And we could never fly...

Don't Change the World

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Once upon a time, there
was a king who ruled a
prosperous country.
One day, he went for a
trip to some distant
areas of his country.
When he was back to
his palace, he
complained that his feet
were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such
a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and
stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire
country with leather.

Definitely, this would need thousands of cows’ skin, and would cost
ahuge amount of money.

Then one of his wise servants dared himself to tell the king, “Why
do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money? Why
don’t you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet?”

The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to


make a “shoe” for himself.

There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story: to make this


world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your
heart; and not the world.

Generosity

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Mahatma Gandhi went from city to city,
village to village collecting funds for the Charkha
Sangh. During one of his tours he addressed a
meeting in Orissa.

After his speech a poor old woman got up.


She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her
clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop
her, but she fought her way to the place where
Gandhi Ji was sitting. “I must see him,” she insisted
and going up to Gandhi Ji touched his feet.

Then from the folds of her sari she brought


out a copper coin and placed it at his feet. Gandhi Ji picked up the
copper coin and put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds
were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Gandhi Ji for the
coin but Gandhi Ji refused.

“I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha


Sangh,” Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly “yet you won’t trust me
with a copper coin.” “This copper coin is worth much more than
those thousands” Gandhi Ji said. “If a man has several lakhs and he
gives away a thousand or two, it doesn’t mean much.”

But this coin was perhaps all that the


poor woman possessed. She gave me all she
had. That was very generous of her. What a
great sacrifice she made. That is why I value
this copper coin more than a core of rupees.

"Overlook and forgive the weakness


of generous people, because if they fall
down, God gives his hand in their hands and helps them…."

Love and Time

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Once upon a time, there was an
island where all the feelings lived:
Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and
all of the others, including Love. One
day it was announced to the feelings
that the island would sink, so all
constructed boats and left. Except for
Love.
Love was the only one who
stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said,
“Richness, can you take me with you?”
Richness answered, “No, I can’t. There is a lot of gold and
silver in my boat. There is no place here for you.”
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a
beautiful vessel. “Vanity, please help me!” “I can’t help you, Love.
You are all wet and might damage my boat,” Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked, “Sadness, let me go
with you.” “Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!”
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did
not even hear when Love called her.
Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It
was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the
elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the
elder went his own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,
Love asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who helped me?”
“It was Time,” Knowledge answered.
“Time?” asked Love. “But why did Time help me?”
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, “Because only
Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is.
Sand and Stone

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A story tells that
two friends were
walking through the
desert. During some
point of the journey
they had an argument,
and one friend slapped
the other one in the
face. The one who got
slapped was hurt, but
without saying
anything, wrote in the
sand: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE
FACE.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they


decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in
the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the
friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked
him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on
a stone, why?”

The other friend replied: “When someone hurts us, we should


write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away.
But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it
in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

Learn to write your hurts in the sand, and to carve your


benefits in stone.

The Boy and the Apple Tree

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A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy
loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the
treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow. He loved
the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little
boy had grown up and he no
longer played around the tree every day.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.

“Come and play with me”, the tree asked the boy.

“I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees anymore”


the boy replied.

“I want toys. I need money to buy them.”

“Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my
apples and sell them. So, you will have money.”

The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree
and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the
apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the
tree was excited.

“Come and play with me” the tree said.

“I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We


need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”

“Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my
branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of
the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the
man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was
delighted.

“Come and play with me!” the tree said.

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“I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can
you give me a boat?” said the man.

“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and
be happy.”

So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing
and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy.


But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for
you”, the tree said. “No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite”
the
man replied.

“No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that
now” the man said. “I really cannot give you anything, the only
thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.

“I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after


all these years,” the man replied.

“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest,
come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree
was glad and smiled with tears.

This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we


were young, we loved to play with our Mom and Dad. When we
grow up, we leave them; only come to them when we need
something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will
always be there and give everything they could just to make you
happy.

You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all
of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don’t
appreciate all they do for us, until it’s too late.

The Bundle of Sticks

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A father had a family of sons
who were always quarreling among
themselves. When he failed to solve
their fights with his advice, he
decided to give them a practical
illustration of the evils of disunion;
and for this purpose he one day told
them to bring him a bundle of sticks.

When they had done so, he placed the bundle into the hands
of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in
pieces. They tried with all their strength, but were not able to do it.

Next, he opened the bundle, took the sticks separately, one by


one, and again put them into his sons' hands, and asked them to
break it, and they could do so very easily.

He then told them: "My


sons, if you stay together and
help each other, you will be as
strong as this bundle, and no
enemy can beat you; but if you
are divided among yourselves,
you will be broken as easily as
these sticks."

The sons understood the


message, thanked, and
promised the father to always
be together no matter what.

Moral: Union gives strength.

The Milkmaid and Her Pail

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Patty the Milkmaid was
going to market carrying her
milk in a pail on her head.

As she went along, she


began calculating what she
would do with the money she
would get for the milk. I'll buy
some fowls from Farmer
Brown," said she, "and they will

lay eggs each morning,


which I will sell to the
parson's wife..

With the money that I


get from the sale of these
eggs, I'll buy myself a new
dimity frock and a chip hat;
and when I go to market,
won't all the young men
come up and speak to me!

Polly Shaw will be


so jealous; but I don't care. I shall just look at her and toss my head
like this." As she spoke that, she tossed her head back and the pail
fell off it, and all the milk was spilt!

Moral: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.

The Most Beautiful Heart

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One day a young man was standing in
the middle of the town proclaiming that he had
the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.

A large crowd gathered and they all


admired his heart for it was perfect. There was
not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed
it truly was the most beautiful heart they had
ever seen.

The young man was very proud and


boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said,
“Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”

The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was
beating strongly ... but full of scars. It had places where pieces had been
removed and other pieces put in ... but they didn’t fit quite right and there
were several jagged edges.

In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces
were missing. The people starred ... how could he say his heart is more
beautiful, they thought?

The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and
laughed.

“You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine ... mine
is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking ... but I would never
trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given
my love..... I tear out a piece of my heart and
give it to them ... and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into
the empty place in my heart ... but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have
some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we
shared.

Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away ... and the other
person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty
gouges ... giving love is taking a chance. Although these
gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these

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people too ... and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have
waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He
walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart,
and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.

The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a
piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young
man’s heart. It fit.... but not perfectly, as there were
some jagged edges.

The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more
beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his. They
embraced and walked away side by side.

The Rope

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The night fell heavy in the heights of the
mountains and the man could not see anything. All
was black. Zero visibility, and the moon and the
stars were covered by the clouds. As he was
climbing only a few feet away from the top of the
mountain, he slipped and fell in to the air, falling at
great speed. He could only see black spots as he
went down, and the terrible sensation of being
sucked by gravity.

He kept falling, and in the moments of great


fear, it came to his mind all the good and bad
episodes of his life. He was thinking now about how close death was getting,
when all of a sudden he felt the rope tied to his waist pull him very hard. His
body was hanging in the air.

Only the rope was holding him and in that moment of stillness he had
no other choice other to scream: “Help me God.”

All of a sudden a deep voice coming from the sky answered, “What do
you want me to do?”

“Save me God.”

“Do you really think I can save you?”

“Of course I believe You can.”

“Then cut the rope tied to your waist.”

There was a moment of silence and the man decided to hold on to the
rope with all his strength. The rescue team tells that the next day a climber
was found dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope. His hands holding
tight to it only one foot away from the ground.

How attached we are to our rope will we let go??? Don’t ever doubt about the
words of God. We should never say that He has forgotten us or abandoned us.

The Stranger in the Garden

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Once upon a time there was a man who had a big garden. He
had planted many fruit trees and cared for them till they bear fruits.
Now he wanted to pick up the fruits and sell them to make money
for his family.
One fine day while picking
fruits with his son, the man saw a
stranger sitting on the branch of a
tree and picking the fruits. This
man become angry and shouted,
“Hey you! What are you doing on
my tree? Aren’t you ashamed of
stealing fruits in the day time?”
The stranger on the branch just
looked at the gardener but didn’t
reply, and continued picking the fruits. The gardener was very
angry and shouted again, “For a whole year I have taken care of
these trees, you have no right to take the fruits without my
permission so come down at once!”
The stranger on the tree answered, “Why should I come
down? This is the garden of God and I am the servant of God, so I
have the right to pick these fruits and you should not interfere
between the work of God and his servant.” The gardener was very
surprised at this answer and thought of a plan. He called his son and
said, “go bring a rope and get this man down from the tree.” His son
brought the rope and the gardener ordered him to tie the stranger to
the tree. The gardener then took a stick and started to beat the
stranger. The stranger began to scream. “Why are you beating me?
You have no right to do this.”
The gardener paid no attention and continued beating him.
The stranger screamed, “Don’t you fear God, you are beating an
innocent man? The gardener answered, “Why should I fear? This
wood in my hand belongs to God and I am too the servant of God,
so I have nothing to fear, and you shouldn’t interfere with the work
of God and his servant.” The stranger hesitated and then spoke,
“Wait don’t beat me, I am sorry for taking the fruits. This is your

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garden and I should seek your permission before taking the fruits.
So, please forgive and set me free.”

The gardener smiled and said, “Since you have now realized
your mistake, I will forgive you but remember that God has given
all his servants brains so every person’s deeds are in his own
hands.” Then the gardener untied him and let him go free.

15
A Merchant and His Donkey

One beautiful spring morning, a


merchant loaded his donkey with
bags of salt to go to the market in
order to sell them. The merchant
and his donkey were walking along
together. They had not walked far
when they reached a river on the
road.

Unfortunately, the donkey slipped


and fell into the river and noticed
that the bags of salt loaded on his
back became lighter.

There was nothing the merchant could do, except return home
where he loaded his donkey with more bags of salt. As they reached
the slippery riverbank, now deliberately, the donkey fell into the
river and wasted all the bags of salt on its back again.

The merchant quickly discovered the donkey’s trick. He then


returned home again but re-loaded his donkey with bags of sponges.

The foolish, tricky donkey again set on its way. On reaching the
river he again fell into the water. But instead of the load becoming
lighter, it became heavier.

The merchant laughed at him and said: “You foolish donkey, your
trick had been discovered, you should know that, those who are too
clever sometimes over reach themselves.”

Christmas Surprise

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It was two days before
Christmas. Harry, Cornelius,
Monty and I were busy building
a snowman when Fritz appeared
with his little niece Emily and
introduced her.
“Emily is from the South and
has never seen snow before,”
Fritz told us. “She doesn’t know
much about our winters.”
It turned out Emily also didn’t know much about
Christmas.”Who is Santa Claus, Waldo?” she asked me, shivering in
the cold air.
“Santa Claus,” I
explained, “brings presents
and toys to human children
at Christmas time.”
“Does he also bring presents
to animal children?” Emily
asked.
“Well,” I said, “he
hasn’t been around this part
of the forest for many years.
I guess he is too busy
visiting all the human
children to have much time left for animals.”
“Do you think he will come if I write to him?” Emily asked.
“I don’t think so,” said Monty. “I’ve never seen him, myself.”
“Neither have I,” Harry added, shaking his head.
“You see. Santa Claus is only for human children,” Fritz said
to Emily. “So forget about the whole idea. Let’s go home now before
you catch a cold.”

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Strong or Weak

There was a proud teak tree in the forest. He was tall and
strong. There was a small herb next to the tree.

The teak tree said, “I am very handsome and strong. No one


can defeat me”. Hearing this herb replied, “Dear friend, too much
pride is harmful. Even the strong will fall one day”.

The teak ignored the herb’s words. He continued to praise


himself.

A strong wind blew. The teak stood firmly. Even when it


rained, the teak stood strong by spreading its leaves.

At the same time, the herb bowed low. The teak made fun of
the herb.

One day there was a storm in the forest. The herb bowed low.
As usual the teak did not want to bow.

The storm kept growing stronger. The teak could no longer


bear it. He felt his strength giving way.

He fell down. This was the end of the proud tree. When
everything was calm the herb stood straight. He looked around. He
saw the proud teak had fallen.

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The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf'

Once there was a shepherd boy


who had to look after a flock of sheep.
One day, he felt bored and decided to
play a trick on the villagers. He
shouted, “Help! Wolf! Wolf!”

The villagers heard his cries and


rushed out of the village to help the
shepherd boy. When they reached
him, they asked, “Where is the wolf?”
The shepherd boy laughed loudly,
“Ha, Ha, Ha! I fooled all of you.

I was only playing a trick on you.”


A few days later, the shepherd boy played this trick again.
Again he cried, “Help! Help! Wolf! Wolf!” Again, the villagers
rushed up the hill to help him and again they found that boy had
tricked them. They were very angry with him for being so naughty.
Then, some time later, a wolf went into the field. The wolf attacked
one sheep, and then another and another. The shepherd boy ran
towards the village shouting, “Help! Help! Wolf! Help!
Somebody!”

The villagers heard his cries but they laughed because they
thought it was another trick. The boy ran to the nearest villager and
said, “A wolf is attacking the sheep. I lied before, but this time it is
true!”

Finally, the villagers went to look. It was true. They could see
the wolf running away and many dead sheep lying on the grass.

We may not believe someone who often tells lies, even when he tells
the truth.

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The Crystal Ball

In the south of Spain, there was a small


village whose people were very joyful and lucky.
The children played under the shade of trees in
the gardens of their home. A shepherd boy whose
name was Nasir, stayed near the village with his
father, mother and grandmother. Early morning
each day, he takes his herd of goats up the hills to
find a suitable place for them to graze. In the
afternoon he would return with them to the
village. At night his grandmother would tell him a
story. The story of stars. This story really
interested Nasir. As usual, on one of these days, as Nasir was watching his
herd and playing his flute he suddenly saw a wonderful light behind the
flower bush. When he came towards the branches he saw a transparent and
most beautiful crystal ball.

The crystal ball was glittering like a colorful rainbow. Nasir carefully
took it in his hand and turned it around. With surprise suddenly he heard a
weak voice coming from the crystal ball. It said; “You can make a wish that
your heartdesires and I will fulfill it.” Nasir could not believe that he had
actually hearda voice. But he became so engrossed in his thoughts for he had
so many wishes but he must wish for something which was impossible like
the wish to be able to fly. He said to himself, if I wait till tomorrow I will
remember many things. He put the crystal ball in a bag and gathered the herd,
happily returned back to the village. He decided that he would not tell anyone
about the crystal ball. On the following day also, Nasir could not decide what
to wish for, because he really had everything he needed.

The days passed as usual, and Nasir appeared to be very cheerful that
the people around him were amazed to see his cheerful disposition. One day a
boy followed Nasir and his herd and hid behind a tree. Nasir as usual sat in
one corner, took out the crystal ball and for a few moments looked at it. The
boy waited for the moment when Nasir would go to sleep. Then he took the
crystal ball and ran away. When he arrived in the village, he called all the
people and showed them the crystal ball. The citizens of that village took the
crystal ball in their hand and turned it around with surprise. Suddenly they
heard a voice from inside the crystal ball, which says, “I can fulfill your
wish.” One person took the ball and screamed, “I want one bag full of gold.”
Another took the ball and said loudly, “I want two chest full of jewelry.”

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Some of them wished that they would have their own palace with
grand door made from pure gold instead of their old houses. Some also
wished for bags full of jewelry, but nobody asked for gardens in their
palaces. All their wishes were fulfilled but still the citizens of the village
were not happy. They were jealous because the person that had a palace had
no gold and the person that had the gold had no palace. For this reason, the
citizens of the village were angry and were not speaking to each other. There
was not even one garden which existed in the village where the children
could play. The patience of the children was running out and they were
uncomfortable. Nasir and his family were happy and pleased. Every morning
and afternoon he would play the flute.

The children could not wait anymore and decided to return the crystal
ball to Nasir. The parents and neighbors went to him. The children said to
Nasir; “When we had a small village we all were happy and joyful.” The
parent also spoke. In one way or another nobody is happy. The expensive
palaces and jewelry only bring us pain. When Nasir saw that the people were
really regretful, he said I have not wished till now, if you really want
everything to return to its own place, then I will wish for it. Everyone
happily agreed. Nasir took the crystal ball in his hand turned around and
wished that the village become the same as it was before. Everyone quickly
turned towards the village and saw it became the same old village with
gardens full of trees and fruits.

Once again the people started to live happily and the children played
under the shade of trees. From the next day and everyday at sunset the sound
of Nasir’s flute could be heard in the village.

This story teaches us that we should be happy with whatever we have and not
to be greedy.

21
The Proud Red Rose

One beautiful spring day a red rose


blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees
and plants grew there. As the rose looked
around, a pine tree nearby said, “What a
beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely.”
Another tree said, “Dear pine, do not be sad,
we cannot
have everything.”

The rose turned its head and remarked,


“It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest.” A sunflower raised
its yellow head and asked, “Why do you say that? In this forest there are
many beautiful plants. You are just one of them.” The red rose replied, “I see
everyone looking at me and admiring me.” Then the rose looked at a cactus
and said, “Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!” The pine tree said, “Red
rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is? You have thorns
too.”

The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, “I thought you
had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You cannot compare
my thorns to that of the cactus.”

“What a proud flower”, thought the trees.

The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not
move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say
insulting things, like: This plant is useless? How sorry I am to be his
neighbor.

The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying,
“God did not create any form of life without a purpose.”

Spring passed, and the weather became very warm. Life became
difficult in the forest, as the plants and animals needed water and no rain fell.
The red rose began to wilt. One day the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks
into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed.
This was puzzling, and the red rose asked
the pine tree what the birds were doing. The
pine tree explained that the birds got water
from the cactus. “Does it not hurt when they
make holes?” asked the rose.

22
“Yes, but the cactus does not like to see any birds suffer,” replied the pine.

The rose opened its eyes in wonder and said, “The cactus has water?”

“Yes you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you
ask the cactus for help.”

The red rose felt too ashamed of its past words and behavior to ask for
water from the cactus, but then it finally did ask the cactus for help. The
cactus kindly agreed and the birds filled their beaks with water and watered
the rose’s roots. Thus the rose learned a lesson and never judged anyone by
their appearance again.

The Selfish Man

Once upon a time, there was a


selfish man. He liked everything to be his
own. He could not share his belongings
with anyone, not even his friends or the
poor.

23
One day, the man lost thirty gold coins. He went to his friend’s house
and told him how he lost his gold coins. His friend was a kind man.

As his friend’s daughter was coming from an errand she found thirty
gold coins, when she arrived home, she told her father what she had found.
The girl’s father told her that the gold coins belong to his friend and he sent
for him. When the selfish man arrived, he told him how his daughter had
found his thirty gold coins and handed then to him. After counting the gold
coins the man said that ten of them was missing and had been taken by the
girl as he had forty gold coins. He further commented that he will recover the
remaining amount from him. But the girl’s father refused.

The man left the gold coins and went to the court and informed the
judge there about what had taken place between him and the girl’s father.

The judge sent for the girl and her father, and when they arrived asked
the girl how many gold coins she found. She replied thirty gold coins. The
Judge that asked the selfish man how many gold coins he lost and he
answered forty gold coins.

The judge then told the man that the gold coins did not belong to him
because the girl found thirty and not forty as he claimed to have lost and then
told the girl to take the gold coins and that if any- body is looking for them he
will send for the girl.

The judge told the man that if anybody reports that they have found
forty gold coins he will send for him. It was then that the man confessed that
he lied and that he lost thirty gold coins but the judge did not listen to him.

This story teaches us to be always honest as dishonest never pays.

The Ship

A voyaging
ship was wrecked
during a storm at
sea and only two of
the men on it were
able to swim to a
small, desert like
island.

24
The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that
they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out
whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory
between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning,
the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he
was able to eat its fruit. The other man’s parcel of land remained
barren.

After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray
for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only
survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the
other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The
next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the
second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife
could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his
side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and
decided to leave the second man on the island.

He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s


blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice
from heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on
the island?”

“My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed
for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were all
unanswered and so he does not deserve anything.”

“You are mistaken!” the voice rebuked him. “He had only one
prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have
received any of my blessings.”

25
“Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “What did he pray
for that I should owe him anything?”

“He prayed that all your prayers be answered.”

The Travelers and the Plane Tree

Two men were walking


along one summer day. Soon
it became too hot to go any
further and, seeing a large
plane tree nearby, they threw
themselves on the ground to
rest in its shade.

Gazing up into the


branches one man said to the
other: “What a useless tree
this is. It does not have fruit
or nuts that we can eat and we cannot even use its wood for
anything.”

26
“Don’t be so ungrateful,” rustled the tree in reply. “I am
being extremely useful to you at this very moment, shielding you
from the hot sun. And you call me a good-for-nothing!”

27
True Wealth

One day a father of a


very wealthy family took
his son on a trip to the
country with the purpose of
showing his son how the
poor people live so he could
be thankful for his wealth.

They spent a couple


of days and nights on the
farm of what would be
considered a very poor
family.

28
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How
was the trip?” “It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people
can be?” the father asked. “Oh yeah” said the son. “So what did you
learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had
four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and
they have a creek that has no end.” “We have imported lanterns in
our garden and they have the stars at night.” “Our patio reaches to
the
front yard and they have the whole horizon.” “We have a small
piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our
sight.” “We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.”
“We buy our food, but they grow theirs.” “We have walls around
our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless. Then his son
added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

The Donkey on Wheels

"THERE was once a poor little


donkey on wheels. It had never wagged its
tail, or tossed its head, or said, “Hee-haw!”
or tasted a tender thistle. It always went
about, anywhere that anyone pulled it, on
four wooden wheels, carrying a foolish
knight, who wore a large cocked hat and a
long cloak, because he had no legs. Now, a
man who has no legs, and rides a donkey on wheels, has little cause
for pride; but the knight was haughty, and seldom remembered his
circumstances. So the donkey suffered sorely, and in many ways.
One day the donkey and the knight were on the table in front
of the child to whom they both belonged. She was cutting out a little
doll's frock with a large pair of scissors.

29
"Mistress," said the knight, "this donkey tries my temper. Will
you give me some spurs?”
"Oh, no, sir knight," the child answered. “You would hurt the
poor donkey; besides, you have no heels to put them on."
“Cruel knight!" exclaimed the donkey. “Make him get off,
dear mistress; I will carry him no longer."
“Let him stay," said the child, gently; “he has no legs, and
cannot walk."
“Then why did he want spurs?”
"Just the way of the world, dear donkey; just the way of the
world."
“Ah!" sighed the donkey, “some ways are very trying,
especially the world’s; “and then it said no more, but thought of the
fields it would never see, and the thistles it would never taste.

The Wooden Horse

“COME and have a ride," the


big brother said. “I am afraid," the
little one answered; " the horse's
mouth is wide open."

"But it's only wooden. That is


the best of a horse that isn't real. If
his mouth is ever so wide open, he
cannot shut it. So come," and the big
brother lifted the little one up, and
dragged him about.

"Oh, do stop!” the little one cried out in terror; "does the
horse make that noise along the floor?"

“Yes."

30
"And is it a real noise?"

“Of course it is," the big brother answered.

“But I thought only real things could make real things," the
little one said;” where does the imitation horse end and the real
sound begin?

"At this the big brother stood still for a few minutes.

"I was thinking about real and imitation things," he said


presently. "It's very difficult to tell which is which sometimes. You
see they get so close together that the one often grows into the
other, and some imitated things become real and some real ones
become imitation as they go on. But I should say that you are a real
coward for not having a ride."

"No, I am not," the little one laughed; and, getting astride the
wooden horse, he sat up bravely. "Oh, Jack, dear," he said to his
brother,” we will always be glad that we are real boys, or we too
might have been made with mouths we were never able to shut!"

The Bad Girl

She was always called the bad girl, for she had once, when she
was very little, put out her tongue at the postman. She lived alone
with her grandmother and her three brothers in the cottage beyond
the field, and the girls in the village took no notice of her. The bad
girl did not mind this, for she was always thinking of the cuckoo
clock. The clock stood in one corner of the cottage, and every hour a
door opened at the top of its face, and a little cuckoo came out and
called its name just the same number of times that the clock ought to
have struck, and called it so loudly and in so much haste that the
clock was afraid to strike at all. The bad girl was always wondering
whether it was worse for the clock to have a cupboard in its
forehead, and a bird that was always hopping in and out, or for the
poor cuckoo to spend so much time in a dark little prison. "If it could
only get away to the woods," she said to herself, " who knows but its
voice might grow sweet, and even life itself might come to it!

31
"She thought of the clock so much that her grandmother used to
say--

"Ah, lassie, if you would only think of me sometimes! " But


the bad girl would answer--

"You are not in prison, granny dear, and you have not even a
bee in your bonnet, let alone a bird in your head. Why should I think
of you?”

One day, close by the farm, she saw the big girls from the
school gathering flowers.

“Give me one," she said; "perhaps the cuckoo would like it."
But they all cried, "No, no!" and tried to frighten her away. "They
are for the little one's birthday. Tomorrow she will be seven years
old," they said,” and she is to have a crown of flowers and a cake,
and all the afternoon we shall play merry games with her."

“Is she unhappy, that you are taking so much trouble for her?“
asked the bad girl.

"Oh, no; she is very happy: but it will be her birthday, and we
want to make her happier.”

"Why?"

“Because we love her," said one;

“Because she is so little," said another;

“Because she is alive," said a third.

“Are all things that live to be loved and cared for? " the bad girl
asked, but they were too busy to listen, so she went on her way
thinking; and it seemed as if all things round the birds, and bees, and
the rustling leaves, and the little tender wild flowers, half hidden in
the grass answered, as she went along

32
"Yes, they are all to be cared for and made happier, if it be
possible."

“The cuckoo clock is not alive," she thought.

"Oh, no; it is not alive," the trees answered; "but many things
that do not live have voices, and many others are just sign-posts,
pointing the way."

“The way ! The way to what, and where?”

“We find out for ourselves; we must all find out for ourselves,"
the trees sighed and whispered to each other.

As the bad girl entered the cottage, the cuckoo called out its
name eleven times, but she did not even look up. She walked straight
across to the chair by the fireside, and kneeling down, kissed her
granny's hands.

The Little Pink Rose


Adapted from a story by Sara Cone Bryant

Once there was a little pink Rosebud, and


she lived down in a little dark house under the
ground.  One day she was sitting there, all by
herself, and it was very still.  Suddenly, she heard
a little TAP, TAP, TAP, at the door.
"Who is that?" she said.
"It's the Rain, and I want to come in;" said a
soft, sad, little voice. 
"No, you can't come in," the little Rosebud
said.

33
By and by she heard another little TAP, TAP, TAP
on the window pane.
"Who is there?" she said.
The same soft little voice answered,
"It's the Rain, and I want to come in!"
"No, you can't come in," said the little
Rosebud. 
Then it was very still for a long
time.  At last, there came a little rustling, whispering sound, all
round the window: RUSTLE, WHISPER, WHISPER.
"Who is there?" said the little Rosebud.
"It's the Sunshine," said a little, soft,
cheery voice, "and I want to come in!"
"N--no," said the little pink rose, "you
can't come in."  And she sat still again.
Pretty soon she heard the sweet little
rustling noise at the key-hole.
"Who is there?" she said.
"It's the Sunshine," said the cheery little voice, "and I want to
come in, I want to come in!"
"No, no," said the little pink rose, "you cannot come in."
 
By and by, as she sat so still, she heard TAP, TAP, TAP, and
RUSTLE, WHISPER, RUSTLE, all up and down the window pane,
and on the door, and at the key-hole.
"WHO IS THERE?" she said.
"It's the Rain and the Sun, the Rain
and the Sun," said two little voices,
together, "and we want to come in!  We
want to come in!  We want to come in!"
 

34
"Dear, dear!" said the little Rosebud, "if there are two of you, I
s'pose I shall have to let you in."
 
So she opened the door a little wee crack, and in they
came.  And one took one of her little hands, and the other took her
other little hand, and they ran, ran, ran with her, right up to the top of
the ground.  Then they said,--
 
"Poke your head through!"
 
So she poked her head through; and she was in the midst of a
beautiful garden.  It was springtime, and all the other flowers had
their heads poked through; and she was the prettiest little pink rose
in the whole garden!

35
The Carrot, the Egg, and the Coffee Bean

A young woman went to her


mother and told her about her life
and how things were so hard for her.
She did not know how she was
going to make it and wanted to give
up. She was tired of fighting and
struggling.

It seemed that, as one problem was solved, a new one arose.


Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water
and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the
first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last
she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about
twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out
and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them
in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," the young woman replied. The


mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and
break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she
tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean,
mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the
same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently. The
carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its
liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside

36
became hardened! The ground coffee beans were unique, however.
After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" the mother asked her daughter. "When


adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a
carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I
the carrot that seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do I wilt
and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with
a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit
but, after a death, a breakup, or a financial hardship, does my shell
look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff
spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean
actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the
pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get
better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the
darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level?
How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee
bean?

37
The Seeker of Truth

After years of searching, the


seeker was told to go to a cave, in
which he would find a well. 'Ask
the well what is truth', he was
advised, 'and the well will reveal it
to you'. Having found the well, the
seeker asked that most
fundamental question. And from
the depths came the answer, 'Go to the village crossroad: there you
shall find what you are seeking'.

Full of hope and anticipation the man ran to the crossroad to


find only three rather uninteresting shops. One shop was selling
pieces of metal, another sold wood, and thin wires were for sale in
the third. Nothing and no one there seemed to have much to do with
the revelation of truth.

Disappointed, the seeker returned to the well to demand an


explanation, but he was told only, 'You will understand in the future.'
When the man protested, all he got in return were the echoes of his
own shouts. Indignant for having been made a fool of - or so he
thought at the time - the seeker continued his wanderings in search
of truth. As years went by, the memory of his experience at the well
gradually faded until one night, while he was walking in the
moonlight, the sound of sitar music caught his attention. It was
wonderful music and it was played with great mastery and
inspiration.

Profoundly moved, the truth seeker felt drawn towards the


player. He looked at the fingers dancing over the strings. He became
aware of the sitar itself. And then suddenly he exploded in a cry of
joyous recognition: the sitar was made out of wires and pieces of
metal and wood just like those he had once seen in the three stores
and had thought it to be without any particular significance.

38
At last he understood the message of the well: we have already
been given everything we need: our task is to assemble and use it in
the appropriate way. Nothing is meaningful so long as we perceive
only separate fragments. But as soon as the fragments come together
into a synthesis, a new entity emerges, whose nature we could not
have foreseen by considering the fragments alone.

39
The Secret of Happiness

A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn


about the secret of happiness from the wisest man
in the world. The lad wandered through the desert
for 40 days, and finally came upon a beautiful
castle, high atop a mountain. It was there that the
wise man lived.

Rather than finding a saintly man, though, our hero, on


entering the main room of the castle, saw a hive of activity:
tradesmen came and went, people were conversing in the corners, a
small orchestra was playing soft music, and there was a table
covered with platters of the most delicious food in that part of the
world. The wise man conversed with everyone, and the boy had to
wait for two hours before it was his turn to be given the man's
attention.

The wise man listened attentively to the boy's explanation of


why he had come, but told him that he didn't have time just then to
explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look
around the palace and return in two hours.

"Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something", said the wise


man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. "As you
wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to
spill".

The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of


the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he
returned to the room where the wise man was.

"Well", asked the wise man, "Did you see the Persian tapestries
that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it
took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the
beautiful parchments in my library?"

40
The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed
nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise
man had entrusted to him.

"Then go back and


observe the marvels of my
world", said the wise man.
"You cannot trust a man if
you don't know his
house".

Relieved, the boy


picked up the spoon and
returned to his exploration
of the palace, this time
observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He
saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the
flowers, and the taste with which everything had been selected.
Upon returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he
had seen.

"But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?" asked the
wise man. Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the
oil was gone.

"Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you", said
the wisest of wise men. "The secret of happiness is to see all the
marvels of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the
spoon".

41
The House with the Golden Windows

The little girl lived in a small, very simple, poor house on a hill
and as she grew she would play in the small garden and as she grew
she was able to see over the garden fence and
across the valley to a wonderful house high
on the hill - and this house had golden
windows, so golden and shining that the little
girl would dream of how magic it would be
to grow up and live in a house with golden
windows instead of an ordinary house like
hers.

And although she loved her parents and


her family, she yearned to live in such a golden house and dreamed
all day about how wonderful and exciting it must feel to live there.

When she got to an age where she gained enough skill and
sensibility to go outside her garden fence, she asked her mother is
she could go for a bike ride outside the gate and down the lane. After
pleading with her, her mother finally allowed her to go, insisting that
she kept close to the house and didn't wander too far. The day was
beautiful and the little girl knew exactly where she was heading!
Down the lane and across the valley, she rode her bike until she got
to the gate of the golden house across on the other hill.

As she dismounted her bike and lent it against the gate post,
she focused on the path that lead to the house and then on the house
itself...and was so disappointed as she realized all the windows were
plain and rather dirty, reflecting nothing other than the sad neglect of
the house that stood derelict.

So sad she didn't go any further and turned, heartbroken as she


remounted her bike ... As she glanced up she saw a sight to amaze
her...there across the way on her side of the valley was a little house
and its windows glistened golden ...as the sun shone on her little
home.

42
She realized that she had been living in her golden house and
all the love and care she found there was what made her home the
'golden house'. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of
her nose!

43
The Banker and the Pauper

Once upon a time there lived a pauper and a banker.


The first was as poor as the second was rich. So it
was inevitable that the rich man will be happier than
the pauper. But their natures were opposite, for the
poor man was happy whereas the banker was not.
The banker was annoyed of the fact that while he
tossed and turned in his bed at night, the pauper
slept peacefully and always awoke rested and full of
energy.
One day the banker could stand it no longer. He decided to find out why
the pauper was a happy manin spite of his poverty. So he summoned him to his
house and asked him his yearly income because he believed that happiness
could only be measured in terms of wealth.
"I don't count too well, nor do I really care. I live each day as it comes
and never worry about the next."
"Well, then, just tell me how much you earn in one day," insisted the
rich man.
"I earn what I need. And even that would be too much were it not for all
the Sundays and holidays when I must close my shop."
The banker liked the pauper. He wished to thank him for coming to his
house, so he presented the poor man with a bag of hundred gold coins.
Now, to the pauper these coins, which meant so
little to the banker, seemed a great fortune. He decided
to hide the bag, so that he would have the money if
ever he should need it. So, when he returned to his
house, he dug a big hole in a secluded corner of the
garden, threw the bag into it, and covered it with dirt.
But from that day on, the poor man's life
changed- he began to worry about the safety of his
money. Every night he slept a little less, and each time
he heard the slightest sound, he became anxious about
the safety of his coins.
Finally, he could bear his unhappiness no longer. He went to the garden,
dug up the coins and returned them to the banker.
The pauper had learned an important lesson, and so has the banker.

44
The Magic of Mushkil Gusha

Once in the royal city of Isfahan, there was an old woodcutter


who lived alone with his young daughter. Every day, the woodcutter
went out to the desert to gather camel-thorn bushes, and then sold
them in the market place as firewood. In this way, he earned barely
enough for the two of them.
One morning, the woodcutter's daughter said, Father, we
always have enough to eat. But just once, it would be nice to have
something special. Do you think you could buy us some date cakes?
I think I could do that, my dear, said the woodcutter. I'll just
gather some extra wood today.
So the woodcutter walked farther that day to gather more thorn
bushes. But he took longer than he meant to.

45
By the time he got back with the wood, darkness had fallen. It
was too late to go to the marketplace. What's more, when he reached
his house, he found that his daughter had already bolted the front
door and gone to bed.

Knock as he would, there was no answer. So he had to sleep outside


on the doorstep.

Next morning, the woodcutter awoke while it was still dark. He told
himself, I might as well go out right now and get another big load of
wood. Then I can sell twice as much and buy even more date cakes.

So he left his load and went back to the desert to gather more bushes.
But again he took longer than he meant to, and when he got back, it
was dark and the door was bolted. So again he had to sleep on the
doorstep.

He awoke once more before dawn. There's no sense wasting a day,


he said. I'll go back out for one bigger load. How many date cakes
we'll have then!

But yet again he took too long, and yet again the door was bolted
when he got back.
The woodcutter sank to the doorstep and wept.
What's wrong, old man?
He looked up to see a dervish in a long green robe and a tall
green cap.

Holy sir, for three days I have gone out to gather thorn bushes, and
for three days I have come home too late to get into my house. And
in all that time, I've had nothing to eat.
What night is this, old man?
The woodcutter said, Why, Friday eve, of course.
That's right. It's the eve of our holy day. And that's the time of
Mushkil Gusha.

46
Mushkil Gusha? said the woodcutter.
That's right, old man -- the 'Remover of Difficulties.'

The holy man took some roasted chickpeas and raisins from his
pouch and handed them to the woodcutter. Here, share this with me.
Thank you, sir!
You may not know it, the dervish went on, but Mushkil Gusha
is already helping you. If you want your good fortune to continue,
here's what you must do: Every Friday eve, find someone in need.
Then share what you have, and tell a tale of Mushkil Gusha. That
way, you both will be helped.
And with that, the holy man vanished.
As the woodcutter stared at the empty spot, the door to his
house swung open.

Father, where have you been? Oh, please come inside! I was so
worried!

A few days passed, while the woodcutter and his daughter enjoyed
the many date cakes he bought after selling his wood. Then one
morning, when the woodcutter had gone to the desert and his
daughter had finished her housework, she decided to go walking in a
public park.
She was strolling down a broad path when a carriage stopped
beside her.

What a pretty little girl! said a royal young lady. I am the daughter of
the king. Would you like to be my handmaiden?
Yes, Your Highness, the girl said, blushing.
So the woodcutter's daughter became a handmaiden of the
princess. With the gifts the princess gave her, she and her father

47
became quite rich. He bought a nice house, and he didn't have to
gather thorn bushes anymore.

But somehow he forgot what the dervish told him.

A month went by. One day, the princess went on a picnic to one of
her father's private gardens, and she brought along the woodcutter's
daughter. There was a small lake there, so they decided to go for a
swim.

The princess took off her necklace and hung it on a branch


overlooking the water. But when she came out, she forgot all about
it.

A few days later at the palace, the princess looked for the necklace
but couldn't find it. She turned angrily to the woodcutter's daughter.

You stole my necklace! You must have taken it when we went for
our swim!

No, Your Highness, I wouldn't do that!


You're a thief and a liar too! I'll show you what happens to
people of your kind! Get out of my sight!

The woodcutter's daughter ran home in tears. But an hour later,


soldiers came to the door. They arrested the woodcutter and carried
him off to a public square in front of the prison. Then they locked his
feet in the stocks and left him there.

The woodcutter had to suffer the taunts and jeers of the passersby.
Some people were kinder, though, and even threw him scraps of
food.

Now, that evening was Friday eve. As the sun set, the woodcutter
cast his thoughts over all that had happened to him in the past weeks.
All at once, he cried out.

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Oh, what a foolish, ungrateful wretch I am! Didn't the dervish say to
share what I have each Friday eve and tell of Mushkil Gusha? Yet I
haven't done it once!

Just then, a packet of chickpeas and raisins landed by the


woodcutter. When he looked up, he didn't see who had thrown it. But
he did see a beggar boy coming by.
Young friend! called the woodcutter. Please share this with me
while I tell you a story.
The boy sat down and gratefully took what was offered. As he
ate, the woodcutter related everything that had happened, from when
his daughter asked for date cakes, to when he was put in the stocks.

Thank you, sir, said the boy. I needed the food, and the story was
good too. I hope it has a happy ending.
The beggar boy went on his way. But he'd only gone a block
when a rich merchant stopped him.
My one and only son! Ever since you were stolen at birth, I've
looked for that birthmark on your left cheek. Now at last I've found
you!

The next day, the princess had another picnic in her father's private
garden, and again she went down to the lake for a swim. She was
about to step into the water when she saw the reflection of her
necklace. She looked up into the tree -- and there was the necklace
itself, right where she had left it.

That woodcutter's daughter didn't take it at all!


By the end of the day, the woodcutter was free from the stocks,
and his daughter was back in the palace.
And every Friday eve after that, the woodcutter always
remembered to find someone in need, share what he had, and tell his
tale of Mushkil Gusha.

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The 4 Wives

There was a rich


merchant who had 4 wives. He
loved the 4th wife the most and
adorned her with rich robes and
treated her to delicacies. He
took great care of her and gave
her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd


wife very much. He's very
proud of her and always wanted
to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in
great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person,


always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the
merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and
she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has
made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as
well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not
love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took
notice of her.

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One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he
was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told
himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone.
How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you
with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that
I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!"
replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's


heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you
so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and
keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good
over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart
sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help
and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again.
When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I
can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most,
I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of
thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no
matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his
first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from
malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have
taken much better care of you while I could have !"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives


a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we
lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

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b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die,
they all go to others.
c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they
had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by
us is up to the grave.
d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul,
often neglected in our pursuit of
material, wealth and sensual
pleasure.

Puppies for Sale


A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign
advertising the pups and set about Nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard.
As he was driving the last nail into the post, he Felt a tug on his overalls. He
looked down into the Eyes of a little boy. 

Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies." 

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck,
"these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his
pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got
thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer. 
And with that he let out a whistle.
"Here, Dolly!" he called.

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Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four
little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence.
His eyes danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed
something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball
appeared; this One noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a
somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others,
doing its best to catch up....
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. 
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that
puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs
would."
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and
began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace
running down both sides of his leg attaching itself To a specially made shoe.
Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well
myself, and he will need Someone who understands."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

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Wait for the Brick
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood
street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting
out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw
something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed
into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to
the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of
the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car,
shouting, "What was that all about and who are you?”
“Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you
threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"
The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister ... please, I'm sorry... I
didn't know what else to do," he pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one
else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the
youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.
"It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his
wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please
help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.
Moved beyond words, the driver
tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted
the handicapped boy back into the
wheelchair, then took out his fancy
handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him
everything was going to be okay.

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"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger.
Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his
wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long,
slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver
never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind
him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a
brick at you to get your attention!

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we
don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us.

55
The Wooden Bowl
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-
year old grandson. The old man's
hands trembled, his eyesight was
blurred, and his step faltered. The
family ate together nightly at the
dinner table. But the elderly
grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating rather
difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon
onto the floor. When he grasped the
glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became
irritated with the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the
son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So
the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, grandfather ate
alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since
grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in
his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp
admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old
watched it all in silence.
One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood
scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just
as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and
mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and
went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless.
Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken,
both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's
hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for
some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork
was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. Children are remarkably
perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever
process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy
home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the
rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day those building blocks
are being laid for the child's future.

56
Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself ... and
those you love ... today, and every day!

Trees That Wood

Once there were three


trees on a hill in the woods.
They were discussing their

57
hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a
treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I
could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the
beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I


will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners
of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of
my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and
straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and
look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how
close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and
people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true,
a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the
first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be
able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down.
The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make
him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong
tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was
happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty
ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was
frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams
would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need
anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it
down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into
a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with
hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was
cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty
ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut

58
into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and
the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave
birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was
made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a
crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could
feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the
greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the
fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and
went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose
and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe.
The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and
the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the
King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried
through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying
it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and
raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the
tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of
the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had
been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be


going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you
place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the
trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.
We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know
that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

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The Rose Within

A certain man planted a rose


and watered it faithfully and
before it blossomed, he
examined it.

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He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns
upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come
from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this
thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready
to bloom... it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The


God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our
faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the
defects.
We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from
us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies.
We never realize our potential.
Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone
else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can
possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the
rose within them.
This is one of the characteristic of love... to look at a person,
know their true faults and accepting that person into your life... all
the while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize
they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within
themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they
blossom many times over.

The Praying Hands

Back in the fifteenth century, in


a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a
family with eighteen children.
Eighteen! In order merely to keep

61
food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household,
a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his
trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.
Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer
the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their
talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be
financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the
Academy.

        After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the


two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The
loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings,
support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that
brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he
would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of
his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

        They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht


Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down
into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his
brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate
sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far
better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he
graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his
commissioned works.

        When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family
held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant
homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with
music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the
head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years
of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His
closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now
it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream,
and I will take care of you."

        All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table
where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his

62
lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over
and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."

        Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He
glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding
his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I
cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four
years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger
have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering
from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a
glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on
parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ...
for me it is too late."

        More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's


hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches,
watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in
every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you,
like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's
works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may
have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.

        One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed,
Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with
palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his
powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost
immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and
renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."

        The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a
second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no
one - no one - - ever makes it alone!

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Dad’s Blessings
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's
showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him
that was all he wanted.
As graduation day approached, the young
man awaited signs that his father had purchased
the car.  Finally, on the morning of his
graduation, his father called him into his private
study. His father told him how proud he was to
have such a fine son, and told him how much he
loved him. He handed his son a beautifully

64
wrapped gift box.  Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young
man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with
the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice
to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a Bible?"
and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in
business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but
realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should
go to him.  He had not seen him since that graduation day.  Before he
could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his
father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son.
He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness
and regret filled his heart.  He began to search through his father's
important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left
it years ago.  With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the
pages.  And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. 
It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,
and the words PAID IN FULL.

Invitation
A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white
beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't
think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something
to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked. "No", she said. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had
happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out
and invited the men in. "We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she wanted to know.

65
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to
one of his friends, and said
pointing to another one, "He is
Success, and I am Love." Then
he added, "Now go in and
discuss with your husband
which one of us you want in
your home."

The woman went in and


told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!” he
said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our
home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their
daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped
in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home
will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is
Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got
up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only
invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the
other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, Wherever He
goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and
Success!!!!!!"

OUR WISH FOR YOU... Where there is pain, we wish you peace and
mercy.

Where there is self-doubting, we wish you a renewed confidence in your


ability to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, we wish you understanding,


patience, and renewed strength.

Where there is fear, we wish you love, and courage. Peace to you.

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