The Travelers and the Purse

Two friends once were walking in sociable chat,
When a purse one espied on the ground;
“Oh, see!” said he, (thank my fortune for that,)
“What a large sum of money I’ve found!”

“Nay, do not say I” said his friend, “for you know
‘Tis but friendship to share it with me;”
“I share it with you,” said the other. “How so?
He who found it the owner should be.”

“Be it so,” said his friend, “but what sound do I hear?
‘Stop thief!’ one is calling to you;
He comes with a constable close in the rear!”
Said the other, “Oh, what shall we do?”

“Nay, do not say we,” said his friend, “for you know
You claimed the sole right to the prize!
And since all the money was taken by you,
With you the dishonesty lies.”

MORAL

When people are selfish, dishonest, and mean,
Their nature, in dealing, will quickly be seen.

The quarrel

Once a traveler wished to cross a wide desert, so he engaged the services of a guide and his camel.  The traveler sat on the camel with all his baggage and the guide led the camel out into the desert.

The hot sun beat down mercilessly on the wayfarers and after a few hours of travel for some time and he got down from the camel. 

The weary camel sat down and the traveler sat in its shadow since there was no other shady spot available.

The guide walked up to the traveler and said, “Get up! I want to sit in the shade too”.

“There is place in the shade for one person only,” replied the traveler. 

“Besides I hired the camel and that means the shadow belongs to me for the duration of the journey.”

“Not at all!” argues the guide, “you hired only the camel.  If you want its shadow too you will have to pay more.”

‘No! I will not!” shouted the traveler.

They began to quarrel loudly.  Scared by the noise of their quarrel the camel got up suddenly and then bolted.  The two men gaped at the sight of the fleeing camel then they ran after it shouting for it to stop.  But it was to no avail.  The camel ran away into the desert and was never found.  Thus the guide lost his camel and the traveler all his baggage.

The moral of this story is “A small quarrel can lead to a big loss.” Never quarrel for the small thing.  You should learn how to adjust with small problems.

The ant and the grasshopper

Whatever savings you are doing today will be the savings for tomorrow. For this there is a story of the ant and the grasshopper.  If you read the story of this article you can learn how to save for tomorrow.

One bright summer day a grasshopper was dancing and singing happily.  The sun was shining brightly and there was plenty of food to be had.  The grasshopper felt that he has nothing to worry about and he leaped about joyously.

Suddenly he was an ant trying hard to drag food into his hole.  The grasshopper felt like teasing the ant and said mockingly, “Hey. There! Is not it a pity you have to work so hard?  You are missing all the fun of life.”

“We are storing food for the winter, my friend” said the ant.  “If you are wise so will you!”  But the grasshopper ignored this sound advice and continued to have fun.

Soon winter arrived and it became bitterly cold.  There was no food to be had too.  The grasshopper began to starve and he was forced to go to the ant to beg for some food.  But he got no sympathy from the ant.  “It serves you right, you lazy rascal,” said the ant.  “All summer you danced and sang.  Go and dance now.  You will get no food from me.”

The grasshopper walked away, bitterly regretting that he had not prepared himself for the winter.

The moral of this story is “Savings made today will save tomorrow.”

The Salt Vendor And His Donkey

      There was a salt vendor in a village. He used to buy salt from a nearby town. He had a donkey to carry this salt load. There were many streams to be crossed to reach the town.

 One day, the vendor was returning after his purchase. The donkey was loaded with salt bags. While they were crossing a stream, accidentally the donkey slipped and fell into the stream. A lot of salt got dissolved in the water. When the donkey got up the load became very light.

From that day, whenever the vendor returning from the town after salt purchase, the donkey began to tumble half-way across one stream or the other. The vendor became suspicious.

  Once the vendor purchased bales of cotton and loaded his donkey with bales of cotton. The donkey felt the load unusually light. He thought “today, I am going to tumble and this load is going to be much lighter.”

On their way home, as usual, the donkey tumbles and fell into a stream. But alas! When the donkey tried to get up the load pulled the donkey down. The cotton and water and became heavier.

The vendor began his hard beating to make donkey get and walk. From then, the donkey never tumbled while crossing streams. 

The Dragon's Lake

Long ago, there was a small town surrounded on three sides by forest. People of the town were happy and hardworking. They kept their houses clean and groomed their children well. Every house had a garden and a pet. Plants were trimmed and watered regularly and pets were fed on time. Wildflowers wafted their sweet fragrance along the gentle breeze and bees made the environment lively with their melodious humming.

    Every evening, children would go playing around the town and near the forest. However, they were not allowed to enter into the forest. People believed that a dragon had been sleeping in the forest since ages. “In the hour of need, the dragon will wake up and save as all, by make up a lake!” this belief had passed on from elder youngsters, generation after generation.

    One summer, it was extremely hot afternoons became lazy and nights became restless. Morning was tiring after the sleepless night and evening were scorching even after sunset. Water were   the only relief. People took bath as often as they felt like, and children jumped and played in the ponds and rivers. But, as the season advanced , it  became hot and dryer. Wells became to dry out and rivers began to recede.  

                People anxiously waited for the rains. But, to make matter worse,even the rains did not turn up that season. The wells gave only muddy brown water and the ponds became nothing but vast patches off swamp. The lush gardens became pale yellow-brown and the flowers drooped helplessly. Even the trees seemed to hang their branches like weary arms. The towns turned browner and drier with each passing day.

                The townsfolk grew worried and gathered in the open fields, looking upwards, searching for rain clouds in the blue, clear sky, but none ever came. Men and women began to wail and cry, “We all will die! We all will die! And die very soon!” Suddenly, an old man with a long beard said, “In the hour of need, the dragon will wakeup and save us all, by making a lake!”

                “Isn’t this an hour of need?” murmured on old shopkeeper. “Will the tale of the dragon ever come true?”

“Sure , it will! Indeed, it will !” cried the children,clapping and dancing with joy and hope. That afternoon, when the grannies were dozing inside their homes and the mothers busy drawing water from the near-dry well, a group of children stole their way into the forest, the forbidden area where the dragon was believedto be sleeping!

They had secretly planned to wake up the dragon..

                As the children strayed deeper and deeper into the forest , they chorused, “In the hour of need, the dragon will wakeup and save us all, by making a lake. “Picking and pucking the fading flowers , they rustled over to a vast clearing. And there they saw the dragon, the sleping giant, as still as ever.  

            "My, my!`the dragon indeed sleeps here!“ they whispered to each other excitedly. Some of them placed flowers around the dragon in a big circle, while some scattered petals around his head. And then, they all began to dance and chant the rhyme that they knew so well.. “In the hour of need, the dragon will wake up and save us all, by making a lake!”

            Time dragged by , but the dragon did not shake a bit. As he snored, his big nostrils emitted heat, which made the children dizzy and fuzzy. “Don’t give up friends!” they cheered each other, and their song continued, “in the hour of need, the dragon will wake up and save us all, by making a lake!”

Suddenly, a dry wind lazily picked up some flowers and swirled then around the dragon’s nostril. The air was thick with pollen and perfume. Feeling the sensation, the dragon’s nostril twitched.

      “I saw something,” cried a little boy. Instantly, all the children started  at the dragon’s face.

         His ear swivelled like a balloon. The ground began to rumble. “Look out! Run! Run! The children scampered in all directions, shrieking and squealing, arms pumping with excitement. The rumbling grew and grew. The Dragon raises his head. He got into his front feet and stood up, stretching his long scaly back. Then he blinked and looked around with big, fiery eyes. His nostrils twitched and quivered again.

By now, the children has run out of the forest, shouting, “ The dragon is awake! The dragon is awake!”  People were alerted by the screams and shrieks. Soon, they all stood together in a tight huddle at the edge of the forest. People started up at the beast with mouths hanging open. Suddenly, the dragon yawned, “Y...AAAA...WWNNN!”

          People gripped each other tightly and shut their eyes. The terrible yawn kicked up a storm of dust and dirt. When the storm settled, the people slowly opened their eyes only to find the dragon digging up the ground with his long, spiky tail. In no time, the dragon had dug up a deep hole. Suddenly, a thin stream of water oozed out of the hole! And then a thick stream gushed out of the hole! And then a thick stream gushed out of the hole!! As the people watched with awe and surprise, the barren land between the town and the forest was converted into huge lake!

            The townsfolk danced and laughed with joy. To show their gratitude, the townspeople built a statue of the dragon at the place where he used to lay. The town never suffered from draught again. Even today, it i s said that the lake looks fresh and blue as it was when it was created!

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

Rithesh and Nithesh were best friends. They often used to go on excursions together. Rithesh was married and Nithesh was a bachelor.

Once the two went to stroll on the sea beach they felt like a bout ride into the sea. They got on a tourist pleasure boat with other tourist.

     Well into the sea, the weather suddenly became rough. The sky darked and winds blew. High walls of sea waves rose. The boat got tossed and then drowned. The tourist tried to save themselves desperately. Rithesh and Nithesh were also flopping in water. Neither knew how to swim.

   Just then they saw a plank and grabbed it. But it was too small to keep both afloat. Only one could use it.

 Nithesh said” We must save your life. You are a married man with wife and children.”

 Rithesh screamed, “No pal! I must go. If you go who will take care of your mother and the sister?”

“You will,” said Nithesh and released the plank.

 At last, Nitesh drowned in the sea.

  After returned home, Rithesh took care of the mother and the sister of Nithesh as he was no more in this world.

 Moral: A life a success when one finds a true friend whom one could trust with one’s life.  
    

    

THE WISE BEARS

THE WISE BEARS

A hunter went to a jungle to hunt. A hill rode up the forest. There was a deep gorge on one side. A very narrow bridge path connected the two sides of the forest. The path was too narrow to allow two persons.

   The jungle other side had a lot of berry trees. The hunter knew that the bears loved berries. The hunter set himself behind a rock to kill any beer that was sure to use that path.

   A small bear appeared to be coming from the other side. Just then he saw a big bear going to the other side. It amused the hunter. The bears couldn’t pass each other. He was sure there would be a fight.

   He watched the scene. The bears met without any sign of hostility. The big bear sat down and help the smaller one go over stepping on it back. They went their ways peace fully.

 It amazed the hunter. He realized that animals were more civilized than humans.

 Moral:  Man can learn many things from animals.

The Unity

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he Unity

The villagers of Daulatpur used wood for cooking fire. Once it rained for three days. It was difficult to find dry wood. 

When it stopped raining, two boys set out to fetch dry wood. They found a log of wood under a mango tree. Due to the mango cover it was dry and good for kitchen fire. But it was thick and long enough which the boys could not carry.

The two brothers were thinking when they saw a number of ants carrying a fat worm. They were dragging it.

One of the boys said, “Brother look ! How the tiny ants are carrying a big worm. We can do the same.”

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“You are right,” said the other one and added, “Wait here. I will call some of our friends.” And he went away.

He returned shortly with three of his friends. The mob of boys easily dragged the log to the house of the two.

Their mother saw the deed of her sons and their friends.

She treated them so sweets.

Moral: Unity is strength, no doubt about it.

No Slavery

 No Slavery

A Camel was fed up with ill treatment of his master. One day, he got a chance and ran away.

The camel ran and ran. At last he reached a desert. He was hungry. but there was nothing to eat.

He looked around and found some dry bushes. he munched them and dug sand with his mouth to reach to water. Then he folded down to rest.

Thus, the camel spent some days,eating little and drinking little. It always felt hungry and thirsty.
Then, one day a kite flew over to the camel and said, "Brother! You are in bad shape. In this way you will die."

The camel grunted, "You are right. But slavery is bad. I don't have any stomach for slavery any more. I am hungry here. But I am enjoying freedom. My soul is no more starving."

Moral : It is better to rule the hell than be a slave in heaven.

Mother Sahori

Mother Sahori

Sahori was an old widow. For wealth, she just had one hundred gold coins. Being near to death old mother sahori thought of going on pilgrimage. She sewed her treasure of gold coins in a cloth pouch and closed with proper lac seal.

    Then she gave it to her neighborhood money lender for safe keeping saying, “Son, if I return I will take back my trust and pay you ten gold coins for your service. If I don’t return, the pouch is yours.”

    After the departure of mother Sahori the money lender drooled over the pouch of gold 100 coins. He hatched a plot and put in action.

  Mother Sahori returned from her pilgrimage and asked back her trust. The money lender duly handled her pouch.

 Back at home, She thought of giving 10gold coins to money lender as promised by her. She broke the seal and cut away threads. Sahori was shocked to find iron coins inside instead of gold ones. She run to the money lender with the pouch and complained. The money lender didn’t accept any responsibility Instead he demanded his fee of ten gold coins. 

 The old woman knew that the cheating trader would have to be taken to the court. She went to the king and told the entire story.

  The king summoned the money lender and asked him, “What have you say about the matter?”

  “I know anything my load! I was given a sealed pouch for safe keeping. I returned it intact. I am yet to be paid my fee even.”

   After hearing both the sides the king got the pouch minutely examined. It was found that the pouch was holed and then expertly darned, The king asked the old lady and the money lender to appear in his court two day later.

  Meanwhile, he summoned all the good darners of the town to his court and showed the old women’s pouch. One of the darners admitted having darned it for the money lender.

   Two days later the money lender and mother Sahori came to the court as ordered. The king gave the decision in favor of the old women. When the money lender protested the king confronted him with the darner. He accepted his guilt.

   The money lender had to return  all the gold coins to mother Sahori. He lost his ten coins as fine. At mother Sahori’s request the culprit was not sent to prison,

 MORAL: You can’t hide the truth for long because falsehood has no legs to stand upon. Sooner or later it is bound to fall flat.

 

BANANA BOOMERING

BANANA BOOMERING

Ramdas had a cow. He could not feed her. So, he sold his cow to Maniram in three thousand rupees.

Maniram came home with the cow. After few months the cow gave birth to a calf. When Ramdas learnt that the cow had born a calf he turned green with envy. He thought of a dishonest plan. He went to the house of maniram and forcibly took away the calf. When Ramdas protested he retorted,”I had sold you the cow and not the calf she had produced.”

The matter took a serious turn. Panchayat sat down to settle the dispute. The decision went in favors of Ramdas. It pained Maniram .He talked to the Panchayat Pradhan. The pradhan said, “We know Ramdas has done an act of dishonesty .Our decision is to teach him a lesson.”

  The Pradhan told Maniram the plan. Maniram went to Ramdas and said,”Friend! I am in great need of money. I went to sell any banana grove for one thousand rupees.”

     Ramdas liked the deal. He bought the banana plantation of Maniram for one thousand rupees. After some time bananas grew on the plants. Maniram went to the plantation with many of his man and plucked all the bunches of bananas. Ramdas could not stop them as he was alone.

     The dispute again went to the Panchayat. Again both sides were heard. Panchayat Pradhan said,”Ramdas, Why do you complain now? When the calf born to the cow you sold can belong to you why can’t the bananas grown by plants after the sale of the plantation belong to Maniram by the same logic?”

Ramdas lost the case and his face.

Moral: Some people use crooked reasons to gain undue benefit. Sooner or later, the same crooked logic rebounds on such people.   

Patience Pays

Patience Pays

There was a farmer. For irrigation of his fields he decided to sink a well. He started to dig. He dug 15 feet down. No water there. The farmer got dejected. He dug another spot 10 feet deep. Again no water. In this way he dugs 6-7 spots.

The frustrated farmer told his tale of woes to an old wise man. The wise man remarked , “What you lack is patience. Young man, had you dug the very first spot 50 feet deep you would have found water. With patience keep digging at a spot. The water will be there.

The farmer followed the advice and found water.

Moral : All the discoveries and inventions that changed the history of man are made by people of endless patience. Thus, patience is the most creative force.

Will Power

Will Power

There was a village names Dharmapura. A religious man named Rajnath live there. He was 65 years old and always remained busy in charity works.

Once, he felt the necessity of a temple in village. He set out to collect funds. He would take only 5 paisa or 10 paisa from a person. But he collected a goodly amount of ten thousand rupees.

The temple construction work Rajnath heard some people saying that the village needed a school more than a temple. Their children had to go to the school of neighbouring village which was far off.

Rajnath realised that truth of their talk and he took a vow to build the school as well.

After completion of temple work he started collecting donations for the school with the same zeal and dedication. A great legwork later he had raised a fund of twenty thousand rupees.

The construction of the school began and soon the village boasted of the best school building in the tahsil.

If there is will power everything is possible.

Moral : When the leisure time of the retired life is emplyed in social works old age becomes more fruitful and satisfying than the active years of life. Such people earn evermore respect of the other people and become inspirations.

The Shepherd With Presence Of Mind

The Shepherd With Presence Of Mind

Long long ago lived a king called Rajvarma. 

He was very much involved in arts. He was a good painter himself. Once, he went over a cliff and started painting the beauty of nature. He became so engrossed in his paintings, and soon he completed. He stood back to have a look at it. The picture was beautiful indeed.

Rajvarma moved backward to have a long view of the picture. He kept on moving backwards that he forget to notice he had come to the very edge of the cliff. If he moved further he would surely fall deep down from the cliff.

At that moment, Gokul, the shepherd boy noticed the movement of Rajvarma. He had no time to shout at the king, so, Gokul took a stone and threw at the picture. The picture got tored up.

Rajvarma, who was enjoying the beauty of his picture, got annoyed. He turned, with anger, towards Gokul, and said, “You silly foolish shepherd. How dare you throw a stone and tear my painting”.

Gokul replied humbly, “Your majesty would you kindly turn and look at your back”.

Rajvarma turned and saw that he was on the brink of the cliff. He came to Gokul and thanked him for his timely help.

Moral: Presence of Mind Saves A Lot

THE FOX WITHOUT TAIL

THE FOX WITHOUT TAIL

A fox was stealthy crossing a field. But alas, he got trapped. He tried hard to come out of the trap. At last he made it. But his tail got cut off. He was ashamed of his loss.

Back in the jungle a few of his friends saw him without his tail and asked “What happened?”

The fox did not want to accept his ill fate. He said, “The tail is just an extra weight. I cut it off”. But his clever friends could  guess the reality and they asked, “ If that is the case, why are you sad”.

The fox did not know what to say now. He went away without giving an answer.

Moral of the Story : EMPTY WORDS CANNOT BECOME FACTS.

TWO FRIENDS AND THE BEAR

TWO FRIENDS AND THE BEAR

Mahesh and Raj were friends. On a holiday they went into a forest. They were enjoying the beauty of nature. Suddenly, they saw a bear coming at them. They were frightened.

Raj, who knew climbing trees, ran upto a tree and climbed up quickly. He did not think of Mahesh. Mahesh did not know tree climbing.

Mahesh thought for a second. He had heard animals do not prefer dead bodies.  He fell to the ground and held his breath. The bear sniffed him and thought he was dead. So, he went away.

Raj asked Mahesh, “What did the bear whisper into your ears?”

Mahesh replied, “ The bear asked me to keep away from friends like you”, and went on his way.

Moral of the story : A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEEED

The Proud Donkey

The Proud Donkey

There was a sculptor who carved beautiful idols of gods and goddesses. One day , he had to take an idol of a goddess to a rich man. He mounted the idol on a donkey and started.

As they walked along, people started to admire the idol . Some stopped to admire and some bowed in respect for the goddess. The foolish donkey thought that people were admiring him.

The donkey stopped half way. He began to bray loudly. The sculptor tried gentle words and actions to pacify him. But, he did not move. At last, the sculptor took a hard stick and thrashed the donkey. He came back to his senses and walked on humbly.

Moral of the story:  A nod for the wise and a rod for the fool.