- The Boy and the Starfish
Once upon a time, there was a boy walking along a beach, picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea. A man approached the boy and said, “Why are you wasting your time? There are too many starfish on this beach. You can’t save them all.”
The boy picked up another starfish, threw it back into the sea, and said, “I made a difference for that one.”
Moral lesson: Even small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.
- The Wooden Bowl
A frail old man lived with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year-old grandson. The family was always busy and had no time for the old man. One day, the son and daughter-in-law noticed that the old man was slowly eating with a wooden bowl, and decided to replace it with a new one.
When they gave him the new bowl, the old man said, “Thank you, but I can still eat from the wooden bowl.” The couple asked why, and the old man replied, “When your son was young, he would play with me and we would make the bowl together. Eating from it reminds me of those happy times.”
Moral lesson: Don’t forget the importance of family and the memories you share with them.
- The Farmer and His Horse
One day, a farmer’s horse ran away. The neighbors came to comfort him, saying, “We’re sorry for your loss. How will you work the fields now?” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad?” The next day, the horse returned, bringing with it several wild horses. The neighbors came to congratulate him, saying, “You are so lucky! You have so many horses now!” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad?”
Later that week, the farmer’s son was riding one of the wild horses, but fell off and broke his leg. The neighbors came to comfort the farmer, saying, “We’re so sorry for your son’s injury. How will you work the fields now?” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad?” The following day, the army came to the village to recruit young men for a war, but the farmer’s son couldn’t go because of his broken leg. The neighbors came to congratulate the farmer, saying, “You are so lucky! Your son was saved from the war!” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad?”
Moral lesson: Don’t jump to conclusions about what is good or bad, because life has a way of surprising us.