The Ass in the Lion’s Skin

There was once a mischievous ass who put on a lion’s skin. He went off towards the forest trying to scare all the foolish animals lie saw.

The ass was highly amused to see the others run away from him in fear. He continued enjoying himself in this Manner for a few days. Everyone in the forest talked about the lion but the poor animals were helpless because of their fear.

One day, the ass came across a fox an(] tried to frighten him as well. But the clever fox soon heard the ass’s real voice. He laughed and exclaimed, “You silly ass. I too would have been frightened like the others if I had not heard you bray. Didn’t you realise that you would be caught soon?” The fox was too smart to be fooled by outward appearances.

Read More

Blessings in Disguise

It was too late before I realized that I was too late for my interview. This time I knew for sure if I didn’t make it I would probably  have my family rip me apart , my friends laugh at me like they usually do , my girl friend lose hope on me and mainly my mentor in college never give me that second look again for any kind of help. God, that one minute I realized I was doing nothing in life. When I had no interview the previous day I got up fresh at five in the morning and today, when it is an important day of my life, I sleep like a log. What the hell is wrong me? Finally, I dress up; manage to get out of the house for the interview. I still had confidence that I would make it. Also, managed to get an auto and I was on my way to the interview.

On my way, I found this dog bleeding and was even surprised to see that nobody was interested in the dog .Another few hours; I definitely knew the dog would be dead. I was sure that the dog was hit by some vehicle and the owner of the vehicle never bothered to take it to the hospital. Then I realized, nobody took a second look at the dog because they had their office. Oh my God, I thought for a minute, has the human race become so mean and crude that their office is more important, that they cannot take a trifle thing like a dog to the hospital. That one minute I closed my eyes and set my priorities straight. The dog seemed more important to me that day. I took her in an auto, took her to the local hospital. The doctor said she would have been hit by a car or a lorry and also said she needs a few weeks of rest. I admitted her, when I was the leaving the hospital I somehow I felt a certain a wave pass through me. This wave or I guess my inner conscious that I felt so powerfully that minute made me feel good as a person and also told me that I should chuck the interview and go back home.

When I went home, my whole family kept asking how the interview went and started laughing for no reason. My father as usual said ‘Oh I am sure my friend here would not have been able to make it ‘For the first time, no yelling, no words of my family hurt me even a one percent. I guess my call for the interview was a blessing in disguise. I just knew I care a rats ass about anything and wouldn’t care too hoots even if it meantime breaking up with my girlfriend. I knew now why I got up late. I am not an engineer even after studying four years of it. So what if my family had a group of engineers. That does not mean, I have to be one.

I spoke to no one, went directly into my room and just crashed. That day evening I got up at five and told myself that I am going to be doing some service to people. Whether it’s an NGO, an old age home or an organization to take of orphans I am ready for it. I quickly started my Pulsar and went to MAD and enrolled myself. Everybody there looked and smiled at me and said why you are here after doing engineering. I felt so welcomed there and felt so great to be a part of such a nice organization which has also done a lot of work during the Bombay Blasts and the Orissa storm.

I didn’t know one day could change your life so much and change it for the better. I again felt a wave pass through me, the wave told me, Oh my god you are not welcome in your family but you are welcome outside. That made me wonder whether I should go back home. I realized that respect is really important .I don’t even mind people shouting and telling me their problem on my face, but  these silent digs that my family make at me are really distasteful.

 I went back home, told my mom and that I am going to be living alone for some time and I needed it. I felt I needed solitude, I needed the silence, I needed the time for contemplation to realize who I truly am. I managed to find a small place to stay in. Those twelve months I spent taking care of orphaned kids, saving a dog’s life and also doing a lot of corporate social responsibility made me feel so much better. Yes, that year I obviously didn’t earn much. But. I must say I was happier, more content and was more on the path to self insight.

Today , I am back to engineering , my family understood that I needed that time to myself , my family understood that what they were doing was wrong . I knew, me telling them would never help and that I wanted them to realize everything on their own. I also knew that I can’t go on doing service , that I have to come back  into the family fold .Later , get married , so on and so forth . Today , my family respects me , I earn well , I work in Ford as a system engineer and am basically happy with life . When I get time, I try to do work for the society. Yes, I am a happy man now.......

Read More

Do not build castles in the air

A castle is a huge building built for the purpose of human habitation mostly people of the princely class. A huge building needs a good foundation otherwise it will not stand properly and so it will get destroyed disappointing us. So if we try to achieve something we should have the proper background and the necessary' skill to do it…if we do not have these skills and the background then we should spend our lime and energy to develop them. Once we have attained these skills We can then concentrate on achieving our goal. 

When we want to learn swimming we should not stand on the banks of the swimming pool and keep imagining about swimming. Instead we should get into the water and start learning the techniques of swimming properly. Similarly a student who wants to excel in an examination should not spend the time or just talk with or boast to others imagining that he comes out with flying colours. If he has the intention of excelling others, he must make his study habits proper, study and prepare with full concentration and sit for the examination confidently. Instead, if a student just flaunts with others as though he is a scholar, then the result will be otherwise. So when a person lays the base properly and sufficiently strong and carries out one’s activities hopefully and with involvement, one’s expectation is fulfilled and achievement is certain. 

Read More

The Grapes Are Sour

Once upon a time, a hungry fox was roaming around here and there searching for food. Because of hunger, he was feeling weak and tired. Fortunately, he came to a garden where he saw a grape-vine laden with bunches of grapes they looked quite ripe and juicy.

The fox looked at the grapes with longing eyes and licked his chops. But the bunches were too high for him and he was feeling weak. So he sat down for a while to take some rest. On feeling refreshed, he jumped as high as he could, to get at the grapes. But he failed to reach them.

Then he again rested for some time and made another bold attempt, but was unlucky for the second time. 

Forced to give up trying anymore, he just walked away and instead of accepting his failure, he remarked "the grapes appeared to be ripe and juicy, but now I see them to be quite sour."

This story, thus, proves that, people generally hate what they can't get.

Read More

The wolf and the dog

A wolf was going over a high way in the evening. It was hungry. He met a dog. The dog was fat and appeared happy. The wolf made friendship with the dog.

“You are looking better. It appears you are happy and enjoying. Your skin is so nice. You have been fed properly with vitamins, proteins and minerals” said the wolf.

“Look my friend, my life is simple. I watch my master’s house. He feeds me daily four times. I have been given a small house where I sleep well. I don’t have any difficulties.”

“Then your life is good. I also wish the same. But you see my plight. I am always hungry. You see my bones. I am fed very little. I don’t have vitamins and proteins in my food.”

“Ok then. Come with me. Live with me. You will also be happy. Luxury maketh a person” said the dog.

The wolf agreed. Both of them reached the house where the dog lived. Both were happy. As the wolf entered the house accidentally he saw the top of the dog’s neck. He found no hairs there. If at all there were hairs they were too short.

“Why there are no hairs on your neck?” The wolf asked the dog.

“Oh! my dear friend. Why doyou ask it? My master puts a belt on my neck. The belt rubs the neck while the belt is tied to a chain tight. My master pulls it and pushes me into the kennel”  said the dog.

“What ? neck tie and chain” the wolf thus said and didn’t enter further. He was astonished  to hear what the dog said.

“Friend, let me go back. I am not jealous about you. You eat good food. But you are tied here. My bones are thin, true. But I am free in my world. I can go anywhere I like. Thank you. I shall go back.”

Thus said wolf went back to his forest.

MORAL: The freedom of poverty is better than happiness in slavery.

Read More

The King and The Spider

Vikram was a brave king. Once, he had to fight against a large army with just a few soldiers, he was defeated. He had to run for his life. 

Vikram took shelter in a forest cave. He was very depressed. His courage had left him. He was blankly gazing at the ceiling of the cave. An interesting scene captured his attention. 

A small spider was trying to weave a web across the cave ceiling. As the spider crawled up, a thread of the web broke and the spider fell down. But the spider did not give up. He tried to climb again and again. Finally, the spider successfully climbed up and completed the web. 

Vikram began to think, "If a small spider can face failure so bravely, why should I give up? I will try with all might till I win". This thought gave strength to the defeated king. 

Vikram got out of the jungle and collected his brave soldiers. He fought against the large army. He was defeated again. But now, he would not give up his fight. 

Vikram again and again fought against the large army and finally, after many attempts defeated the large army and regained his kingdom. He had learnt a lesson from the spider. 

MORAL : Perseverance paves way to success.

Read More

The Hare and The Tortoise

Once upon a time, in a field not too far from you, there was an energetic and happy hare and a sleepy tortoise.

The happy hare was called Noel and the sleepy tortoise was called Archibald. Archibald the tortoise liked to sit and munch his dinner slowly, whilst Noel the hare would gobble up his dinner and run round and round Archibald until he was dizzy.

One day, they had an argument…

“I am the fastest animal in the whole wide world,” said Noel. “I’m faster than a cheeky cheetah, a kicking kangaroo and a racing rabbit,” he boasted.

“Oh do be quiet,” sighed Archibald. “You are so full of yourself! If you’re not careful you’ll come to a sticky end…”

“Where’s sticky end then,” asked Noel. “Is it far from here?”

Archibald rolled his eyes and carried on munching on some tasty lettuce leaves.

“Oh you two do stop arguing,” said a blackbird as he flew past.

“No, this is serious,” said Noel the hare. “I will prove to you all that I’m the fastest animal in the whole wide world“

The race begins!“OK,” said Archibald the tortoise. “I’ll race you then!”

Noel the hare laughed his head off.

“Just you wait and see,” said Archibald. “I’ll get Wallace the wise old owl to organise a race for us…”

 Wallace the wise old owl arranged the race for the next day. All the animals in the field put on their best clothes, groomed their fur, picked up a flag to wave and got ready to cheer the tortoise and the hare on.

“On your marks… Get set… Go!” Called Wallace… And the race was off!

Slowly, slowly Archibald the tortoise set off and quickly, quickly Noel the hare raced off and soon he was out of sight. In fact, he was so far ahead that, when he looked back, Archibald the tortoise was nowhere to be seen.

“Gosh,” Noel thought. “I’ve more or less won all ready! I think I’ll just have a little nap under this tree, it’s such a hot day”. Noel the hare was soon fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Archibald the tortoise ambled along slowly enjoying the sun on his shell and taking the odd nibble of grass from time to time. On and on and on and on and on and on he plodded. He plodded past the oak tree, he plodded past the bridge, he plodded past the cow shed, he even plodded past Noel the hare who was still snoring under the tree. He plodded on until he came to the finishing line where Wallace the wise old owl and all the other animals in the field were gathered. All the animals clustered around Archibald cheering and shouting:

“Well done! Well done! You’re the winner!”

All the noise woke Noel the hare up with a start.

“Oh my! Oh my! What’s going on? What’s all that noise? Never mind. I’d better finish the race then I can go and have my dinner,” he thought.

Noel the hare raced off down the hill towards the finishing line. But when he got there, to his horror, he saw Archibald the tortoise with a gold winner’s medal around his neck.

“This can’t be right! He must have cheated,’ cried Noel the hare. “Everyone knows I’m faster than him!”

“Archibald the tortoise didn’t cheat,” said Wallace the wise old owl. “He has won fair and square. Slowly and surely, never giving up, Archibald passed the finishing line first. Sorry Noel old chap, but you’ve lost this race. Let that be a lesson to you – slow and steady wins the race!”

Noel the hare looked very unhappy and sulky. Archibald the tortoise felt sorry for him and tried to cheer him up…

“Cheer up Noel, it was only a race,” Archibald said. “I’m sure you’ll win the next one. And I’d rather we were still friends than win every race under the sun.”

And from that day on they became the best of friends and Noel the hare never boasted again. 

Read More

Unity is Strength

Once upon a time, an old man lived with his three sons in a village. All his three sons were hard workers. Still, none of them agreed with each other and quarrelled all the time. The old man tried a lot to unite them but he failed. While the villagers were surprised at their hard work and efforts, they also made fun of them on their fights.  

Months passed by and the old man fell sick. He talked to his sons to stay united, but none of his sons heard his words. So, he decided to teach them a practical lesson so that they would shed off their differences and stay united. 

The old man called as his sons. He told them, ‘I will give you a bundle of sticks. Separate each stick and you will have to break each stick into pieces of two. The one who breaks the sticks quickly will be rewarded more.’

All sons agreed.  

The old man gave a bundle of 10 sticks to everyone of them and asked to break it into pieces. All the sons broke the sticks into pieces in minutes.  

And again they started to quarrel among themselves as who came first.

The old man said, ‘Dear sons, the game is not over. Now I will give another bundle of sticks to all of you. You will have to break the sticks as a bundle, not as separate sticks.’

The sons agreed and began to break the bundle of sticks. Unfortunately, they could not break the bundle. They tried very hard but failed to complete the task.  

All sons said to the father about their failure.  

The old man replied, ‘Dear sons, See! You could easily break the single sticks into pieces, but you were not able to break the bundle! The sticks were same. So, if you stay united, nobody can make any harm to you. If you quarrel every time with your brothers, anyone can easily defeat you. I request you to stay united.’

The three sons understood the power of unity and promised their father that whatever be the problem, they would all stay together. 

Moral: Unity is Strength!

Read More

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

Once there was a poor wood cutter who earned his living by cutting wood and selling it in the city. One day he was cutting a big tree which was bending over a stream. Suddenly his axe slipped from his hands and fell down into the stream. The poor man was very sorry at this loss and began to weep bitterly. Suddenly a good appeared there and asked, “Why are you weeping my good man.” The wood cutter said,” My axe has fallen into the stream. I do not know how I would be able to earn my living without it.” The god dived into the water and brought out a golden axe and gave it to him but the wood cutter refused to take and told him that it was not his The god again dived and brought out a silver axe but the wood cutter again refused to take that also. The god dived for the third time and brought out an iron axe. The wood cutter cried out happily and took the axe with thanks. The god was highly pleased at his honesty and gave him the other two axes as a reward of his honestly.

MORAL :  “Honesty is the best policy”.

Read More

A stitch in time saves nine

Lim had always been lazy. He worked on a rubber plantation and it was his job to empty the tins of latex hanging round the trees that his father had tapped and to fill the buckets with the strong sticky liquid. He then had to carry the buckets, which, when full were very heavy, to the shed at the edge of the plantation. His father usually supervised the part at the shed to make sure that they were paid the right amount of money. It was also Lim's job, therefore, to take care of the tins as they hung round the rubber trees. he had to see that they were firm and securely tied with trees. He had to see that they were firm and securely tied with wire. He had to make sure, too, that there were no holes in them.

On this particular morning, there was a mist in the air and it was already very hot. The rubber plantation was quiet, dark and still. Lim went round the trees, one by one, inspecting the tins and emptying them. Some of them were full to the top, but quite a lot of them were only half-full or even less than that. However, he went to indifferently pouring the latex into the bucket without even bothering to think why so many of the tins were nearly empty.

"I'll take what I've got and not worry about anything else" he thought and joined his father at the shed. Of course, they were not paid so much money that morning, because the latex simply wasn't there.

"What's happened today, son ?" asked his father crossly. "Have you missed out half the trees or what ?"

"I don't know," shrugged Lim, who ante to hurry home with his share of the payment to check if he had got enough money to buy the latest record of his favorite pop-singer.

"Perhaps some of the tins have got holes in them," suggested his father. "Our rubber trees are young and should be yielding far more than this. Check all the tins tomorrow !"

"Check all the tins, my foot !" muttered Lim. But not aloud, of course.

And so the day passed and his father came home cross, because he had hope to have more money.

"Don't forget those tins tomorrow," he said to him. "If they've got holes in them, you must mend with some tin solder do it in good time. If you don't, we'll have to replace all the tins with new ones to say nothing of losing a lot of good latex and the good money that goes with it as well. Remember that 'a stitch in time saves nine' and in case you are too stupid to understand that, it is a European proverb which means that a little bit of trouble and work today will save the necessity of a lot of trouble and work tomorrow.

"Always preaching," mumbled Lim, as he went to bed. "They are all the same."

The next morning, however, he did check the tins and sure enough, as he poured out the latex and inspected the bottoms of the small round tins, he found tiny holes in quite half of them. the latex which had collected was, of course, much less because so much of it had dropped through these holes and had begun to congeal on the soft grass at the base of each tree.

"I'll find some better tins later on today," thought Lim, and I'll buy a stick of solder in the village and come back and mend the rest tonight. But, in fact he did nothing of the sort.

The next morning, the pools of latex below the rubber tree were bigger than ever, because somehow during the night, the holes in the tins seemed to have got bigger than ever. The quantity of latex was so small that his father came to inspect the tins himself.

"You'll get them mended or replaced now, this very morning," he yelled in rage, as he looked at the shiftless Lim. "Do it at once."

But, Lim never did and so, not many days later, there were no latex at all and the tins were beyond hoe of repair.

"They've all got to be replaced now" said his father, "and time and money will be lost while we renew them all. If only you'd listened to me and mended them while the holes were small, all this trouble would have been avoided. Now do you see that  stitch in time saves nine or will you always be too stupid either to listen or to learn ?"

Read More

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

Once a fox was roaming around in the dark. Unfortunately, he fell into a well. He tried his level best to come out but all in vain. So, he had no other alternative but to remain there till the next morning.
The next day, a goat came that way. She peeped into the well and saw the fox there. The goat asked "what are you doing there, Mr. Fox?"
The sly fox replied, "I came here to drink water. It is the best I have ever tasted. Come and see for yourself."
Without thinking even for a while, the goat jumped into the well, quenched her thirst and looked for a way to get out. But just like the fox, she also found herself helpless to come out.
Then the fox said, "I have an idea. You stand on your hind legs. I'll climb on your head and get out. Then I shall help you come out too."
The goat was innocent enough to understand the shrewdness of the fox and did as the fox said and help him get out of the well.
While walking away, the fox said, "Had you been intelligent enough, you would never have got in without seeing how to get out."
That's why we say, "Look before you leap".

Read More

A friend in need is a friend indeed

Once, 2 friends taken off on a journey. They secure to assist one another within the time of would like and ne'er to go away one another. after they were crossing a forest, they saw an enormous bear at a distance returning towards them. one amongst them was terribly clever. effort his friend he promptly ran and climbed up the close tree. the opposite failed to shrewdness to climb up a tree. He requested his friend to assist him to climb the tree however he turned a deaf ear to his requests. The bear was approaching nearer and nearer. The poor fellow was in an exceedingly nice danger. ultimately a thought came to his mind. He lay down on the bottom pretence to be dead as he had detected that the bear doesn't eat the dead. Mean whereas the bear came to him, sniffed him and thinking him dead went his approach. once the bear was out of sight the egoistic friend diminished the tree and asked his friend what the bear was whispering in his ear. The second friend replied that it unvoiced  to him to ne'er company with a egoistic friend. speech this he taken off on his journey effort the egoistic friend alone.

MORAL:  

Never keep company with a selfish person.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Read More

Three Friends and a Bag of Gold

Once, 3 friends left their village for a town to seek out some work there. On their approach they need to tolerate a dense forest. after they were solely 0.5 approach through the forest, they saw a glittery object far. They hurried and picked it up. it had been a golden bag with plenty of gold in it.

 They were joyful at this stroke of excellent luck. As they were quite exhausted and hungry, they set to not travel more. 

 They united that initial they might eat and so divide the gold equally among themselves. Some one amongst the friend s visited a close-by village to shop for some food whereas the opposite 2 lay down below the shade of trees.

       On the thanks to the village, the third friend started dreaming of obtaining all the gold himself. thus greed compelled him to poison the food and kill friends.

 On the opposite hand, the opposite 2 friends were additionally creating similar plans. once the third friend came back with the food, they fell on him with their knives and killed him then and there. Then dividing the treasure equally between themselves, they Sabbatum all the way down to eat the poisoned food. They were hungry. They Ate warmly. The poison did its work and shortly they were lying dead with the bag of gold coins mocking them for his or her greed and sick can.

Possible Morals:
1.              “Greed is curse”
2.              As you sow, thus shall you reap?
3.              One UN agency digs a pit for others falls into it himself.
4.             As you sow, thus shall you reap?
6.              One UN agency digs a pit for others falls into it himsel

Read More

A Foolish Stag

Once, a stag arrived at a stream to drink water. He drank water his fill. Suddenly, he caught sight of his reflection in the clear crystal water. He was extremely delighted to see his beautiful horns. He felt very proud and admired the grace of his horns. Suddenly, he caught sight of his legs. He was dissatisfied with such slender and slim legs. While he was thus contemplating , he heard the howls of hounds from a distance. To his fright, he saw a pack of hounds running towords him across the field. He immediately took to flight into the jungle. Soon, with the help of his legs, he was well away from the hounds. By chance, he had to across a part of forest overgrown with bushes. While passing through it, his horns were entangled in the thick bushes. He made desperate efforts to free himself but all to no avail. His lean legs, whichhe hated so much, had brought him far away from death. But, his majestic horns, which he admired so proudly, had brought him to his calamity. In no time, the howling hounds fell upon him and tore him to pieces.
Moral:
See the easy version above.

Read More

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

In ancient times animals and birds gathered to elect the king of jungle. The lion and the eagle were the candidates for kingship. Each claimed to be superior to the other. The matter could not be settled. Consequently, a battle broke out between them. The bat's behaviour was very odd during the fight. If the animals seemed to be winning, it went to them and claimed to be one of them as it milks its young ones. However, if the birds seemed to be winning, it went to them and claimed to be a bird, as it lays eggs. It kept on changing its loyalty throughout the fight. At last, the animals won and the lion was declared to be an absolute king of jungle. The bat went to animals to congratulate them on their victory, but they turned it out saying, "You are a bird, for you lay eggs". Then, it visited the birds to console them, but they also banished it and said, "you are an animal, because you milk your young ones". Since then, it lives alone in the dark.
Possible Moral:
1)See the easy version above.

Read More

The Slave And A Lion

A curel master had many slaves. He often punished them for nothing. Once, a slave ran away to a jungle and hid in a cave. He began to live there. One day, he came across a lion. He got frightened . He wanted to run away. But then he saw that the lion was limping. He also caught sight of  his badly swollen paw. The lion could hardly walk. He took pity on him. He went near him and pulled out the thorn from his paw. The lion looked at him with gratitude and went his way. After a long time, the slave was caught. The master decided to throw him before a hungry lion as a warningfor other slaves. On the fixed day, he was thrown before hungry lion. The lion, instead of killing him, began to lick his feet. In face, it was the same lion that had met the slave in the jungle. When the master learned the real event, he was moved to tears and freed both the friends.

Morals: 

1)Do good and have good.   

2)One good turn deserves another.
                            ...........................................................................

Read More