SILLY LITTLE MARIAM

 

 

 

 

There lived a little girl Mariam, who was very silly and lazy. Often she used to wander hither and thither with no purpose. Once, as she went wandering she felt very thirsty. She went to a pond nearby and quenched her thirst. She felt very tired and drowsy. She slept right there on the banks of the pond.

 

When she woke up it was night already. She peeped into the pond but could not see her reflection. She got a big doubt “Am I really here or not? Well! Let me ask at my home”.
 

She went home and found the door closed. She called out “Is Mariam in there?” A sleepy voice replied, “Oh! She must be in bed”. Mariam thought, “If Mariam is at home, I am not Mariam”. Saying this, she went away.

 

MORAL: SHADOWS ARE NOT REALITIES

 

THE INEXPERIENCED MOUSE

 

 

 

 

Once, a little mouse asked his mother, “Mother let me go out and see the world”. The mother mouse said, “Okay child. But, be careful”.
 

The mouse came out of his hole and started walking. He saw a colorful cock. As he had never seen a cock before, he got frightened by the sharp beak, colorful feather, and the red crown of the cock. He ran away thinking, “What a horrible creature”.

 

After some time he came across a pussy cat. “What a soft animal!”, he thought, “So handsome fur! And striking eyes!”

 

When he returned home he explained his day’s visit to his mother. The mother said, “The cock is really harmless. But the soft cat is our real enemy”.

 

MORAL: OUTWARD APPEARENCES ARE DECEPTIVE

 

THE IRRESPONSIBLE OX

 

 

 

 

A brave warrior had a horse and an ox. He used the horse for travelling and the ox was used for pulling load for the warrior.
 

War had broken. The warrior was to go to a far off place.

 

The horse said to the ox, “Hey ox! I am to carry the master to a far off place” The ox replied, “How unlucky you are! I am lucky. I need not pull loads. I have no work to do”.
 

But, it so happened that before the warrior could set off, the war had come to an end and the enemy had surrounded. Now, the warrior had plenty of work to do locally.

 

The ox was overburdened now.

 

MORAL: AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY ENDS IN OVERBURDEN.

 

THE FOX AND THE HARE

 

 

 

 

A hare was starting at a fox in admiration. The fox asked, “What are you starting at?” The hare said in an anxious voice, “I was wondering about you”. The fox asked, “What is the wonder with me?” The hare said “Are you really as cunning as people say?”
 

The fox looked at the hare with a thoughtful look and replied after some silent moments, “Well! Why don’t you do one thing? Come to night and join me for dinner. We shall discuss the matter”.
 

The hare went to the fox’s house at night. On the dinning table were laid plates and bowls. But there was no food at all. The hare thought, “Oho! What a fool I am! The fox has planned to eat me,” and he ran away.

 

MORAL: CUNNING WORDS ARE UNDEPENDABLE

 

 

 

 

THE POOR MAN’S WEALTH

 

 

 

Ramchand and Premchand were neighbours. Ramchand was a poor farmer. Premchand was a landlord.

 

Ramchand used to be very relaxed and happy. He never bothered to close the doors and windows of his house at night. He had deep sound sleeps. Although he had no money he was peaceful.
 

Premchand used to be very tense always. He was very keen to close the doors and windows of his house at night. He could not sleep well. He was always bothered that someone might break open his safes and steal away his money. He envied the peaceful RamChand.
 

Oneday, Premchand call Ramchand and gave him a boxfull of cash saying, “Look my dear friend, I am blessed with plenty of wealth. I find you in poverty. So, take this cash and live in poverty. So, take this cash and live in prosperity”.

 

 

 

Ramchand was overwhelmingly happy. He was gayful throughout the day. Night came. Ramchand went to bed as usual. But, to-day, he could not sleep. He went and closed the doors and windows. He still could not sleep. He began to keep on looking at the box of cash. The whole night he was disturbed.
 

As soon as day broke, Ramchand took the box of cash to Premchand. He gave away the box to Premchand saying, “Dear friend, I am poor. But your money plucked away peace from me. Please bear with me and take back your money”.

 

MORAL: MONEY CANNOT GET EVERYTHING

 

 

 

 

 

 

A WISE COUNTING

   

 

 

Emperor Akbar was in the habit of putting riddles and puzzles to his countries. He often asked questions which were strange and witty. It took much wisdom to answer these questions.
 

Once he asked a very strange question. The countries were dumb folded by his question.

 

Akbar glanced his courtier. As he looked, one by one the heads began to hang low in search of an answer. It was at this moment that Birbal entered the courtyard.

 

Birbal was the wittiest of all courtiers. He looked at his fellow courtiers who were deeply engrossed in their thoughts. Then he bowed humbly in front of Akbar and asked, “My lord! Can I know what has made my fellow courtiers so thoughtful?” Akbar replied, “I just asked them a question. They are blinking for an answer”.

 

Birbal, who knew the nature of the emperor quickly grasped the situation and asked, “May I know the question so that I can try for an answer”.

 

 

 

 

Akbar said, “How many crows are there in this city?” Without even a moment’s thought, Birbal replied “There are fifty thousand five hundred and eighty nine crows, my lord”.

 

“How can you be so sure?” asked Akbar.
 

Birbal said, “Make your men count, My lord. If you find more crows it means some have come to visit their relatives here. If you find less crows it means some have gone to visit their relatives elsewhere”. Akbar was pleased very much by Birbal’s wit.

 

MORAL: A WITTY ANSWER WILL SERVE ITS PURPOSE.

 

 

A HUNTING WITH THE LION 

 

 

 

It was dry summer. The animals in the forest were beginning to find it difficult to get food. A bear, a wolf and a jackal thought it would be better to join hands with a lion and do the hunting. They approach the lion and he too agreed. The four of them went off.
 

The hunting party came across a buffalo. The fox and wolf chased the buffalo, the bear intercepted him and the lion killed him.

 

 

 

The fox now put four shares out of the buffalo. When they were about to take their shares the lion roared and said, “Well friends, the first share is mine for my leadership, The second share is mine for, it is I who killed, The third share is mine, for, I need it for my cubs. Anyone who needs a share can take the fourth, but, before that you will have to win me”.

 

All the three left the place without a single word.

MORAL: IF YOU ARE MIGHT YOU ARE RIGHT

 

 

 

THE STORY OF THE DESERT

 

 

 

 

When God first created the world, there was no desert. The whole world was filled with fertile lands full of beautiful gardens.
 

God created man in order to maintain the world. He said to man, “Every time you commit a sin, there will be a peck of sand falling on the ground”.

 

Man thought, “What harm will a peck of sand do? Let me live as I please”.

 

He started committing wicked sins and pecks of sand started falling on the ground. Still man continued sinning. And the effect is that to-day there are many deserts around us.

 

MORAL: AS YOU SOW SO YOU REAP.

 

THE THIRSTY CROW

 

 

 

 

It is a hot summer day. A crow was very thirsty. He flew here and there in search of water. But he could not find water anywhere. As it was summer, all lakes and rivers had dried up.

 

At last, he found a water pot lying in the out yard of a house. He flew up to the pot and peeped in. He was very happy. He found some water in the pot. He tried to reach for the water but could not reach it because it was at the bottom. He looked here and there.

 

An idea flashed suddenly. He picked up stones lying around one by one, and dropped into the pot. Slowly the water rose up. Finally, the crow could reach the water. He drank the water and flew away happily.

 

MORAL: IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS AWAY

 

THE FOX AND THE CROW 

 

 

 

Once, a  boy  was  eating  a  piece  of  cake.  A  crow  snatched  away  the  cake  and  flew  swiftly  to  a  tree  top.  The  crow  settled  and  was  about  to  eat  the  cake.  A  fox  smelled  the  cake  and  looked  up  at  the  crow.  He wanted to  eat  the  cake.

 

He  said  in  a  sweet  voice, “Hello  Crow!  Good Morning”.  The crow  did  not  open  her  mouth.  The fox thought what to say next.

 

He  said,  “Oh  beauty  queen!  If  you  look  so  bright  and   colorful,  your  voice  must  be  sweet.  Let  me  hear,  please!”  The crow was  flattered.  She  opened  her  mouth  to  caw.

 

And  oh!  Down  fell  the  cake.  The  fox  ate  away  the  cake.

 

MORAL: CHEAT NOT! AND BE CHEATED NOT!

 

 

 

 

THE SOUR GRAPES

 

 

A  fox  was  roaming  around  the   countryside.  He  happened   to  pass  through  a  vineyard.  On  seeing  the  lush  grapes  his  mouth  watered.

 

First  he  lifted  his  head  and  stretched  out.  He  could  not  reach  the  grapes.  He  felt  the  grapes  to  be  higher.

 

Then  he  stood  on  his  hind  legs  and  stretch.  Again,  he  could  not  reach  them.

 

Finally,  he  jumped  up  and  jumped  up.  Even  then,  he  could  not  reach  them.  The  grapes  were  too  high  to  reach.  The  fox  was  too  tired  to  try  again,  So,  he  left  the  place  murmuring,  “The  grapes  are  sour.  Who  would  eat  sour  grapes?”.

 

 

MORAL: A WISEMAN ACCEPTS DEFEAT SPORTINGLY

 

 

 

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER

 

 

It was summer. It was bright and sunny. Food was plentiful everywhere. A grasshopper was singing and dancing joyfully. He had everything to eat.

 

An ant was working very hard carrying food into her hole. The grasshopper cried in mockery “Oh! What a pity? You work hard on a sunny day. You lose all play, poor thing”.  The ant replied “It’s okay my friend. We are storing for the cold winter. You too can save!” But the grasshopper did not take heed of it.

 

Soon came winter. It was cold everywhere. There was no food. The grasshopper began to starve. He went to the ant and asked for some food. The ant replied “You lazy fool! The whole summer you danced and sang, not thinking about future. Go and dance now I can’t help you”.

 

MORAL: TODAY’S SAVINGS WILL HELP YOU TOMORROW

 

THE GREEDY DOG AND THE BONE

 

 

Once, a dog was passing through the backyard of a house. He found a piece of bone. He picked it up and ran to a lonely corner. He sat there and began to chew the bone. He felt tried. So, he dropped the bone and slept there itself.

 

After-a-while he woke up. He felt thirsty. He did not want to leave the bone. So he picked up the bone in his mouth and ran up to nearby river.

 

In the river, he saw his own reflection. The greedy dog thought that there was another dog with a bone. He wanted that too. He began to bark.

 

The bone in his mouth fell down into the river. The dog lost his bone.

 

MORAL: GREED LEADS TO GRIEF

 

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

 

A hare was always proud of its speed. He often laughed at a tortoise who moved very slowly. The tortoise was very humble. But, the hare kept on teasing the tortoise.

 

One day, the tortoise challenged the hare. The hare was surprised. “How can so slow a runner challenge me”. He accepted the challenge. The race began. Within no time, the hare was far off.

 

The hare was reaching the winning post. He thought “Let me wait for the tortoise, soon as the tortoise comes, I’II jump up and win the race”. He fell asleep there itself.

 

Suddenly, he heard clapping sounds. He woke up to see the tortoise slowly crossing the winning post. The hare lost the race.

 

MORAL: SLOW AND STEADY WIN THE RACE

 

 

 

THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE TOWN MOUSE

 

 

A country mouse and a down mouse were friends.

 

The country mouse lived in a field. He invited the town mouse for a dinner. They both sat in the fields. They ate corn, nuts and fruits. After the dinner, the town mouse said, “What a poor meals you have! Your food is tasteless. Come with me to town and see what I have. My food is tasty and good”. So, both the friends set out to town.

 

The town mouse lived in a house. They both sat in the kitchen. The town mouse gave cakes, biscuits and bread. As they were about to eat they heard a cat menu. They ran to the hole. They came back after sometime. Half way through again the cat minuend. They ran again. Like this, they had to run for life many times before they could have a meal.

 

The country mouse said, “What a miserable life you lead! At least in the fields, I live peacefully”.

 

MORAL: RICHES IS NOT HAPPINESS ALWAYS

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

 

 

A lamb was drinking water of a stream. He was so plumpy and fleshy.

 

A wolf was spying him. He was so eager to attack the lamb and eat him.

 

The wolf accused the lamb, “You are making the stream dirty”. But the lamb replied “I am sorry, drinking out a stream does not make the stream dirty”.

 

The wolf again accused “you are the lamb who teased my brother last year” The poor lamb replied “But, I was not at all born then”.

 

The wolf grew wild and snarled “I am not going to miss a chance of eating you because you are good at reasoning”.

 

MORAL: EVIL CAN CREATE ITS OWN EXCUSES