The Two Mules

TWO mules were on the same path. The first, who worked for a miller, was loaded with oats. The other was owned by a banker and was carrying a chest full of golden coins. Because of this it trotted along very proudly, full of itself. But on hearing the clinking, some robbers realised that it was carrying a treasure. They stole it and beat the mule badly with sticks. 'You see,' explained the first mule. 'Being rich and important has its drawbacks.'

The Two Friends

John and James were two friends who were crossing a forest when suddenly they stumbled across a huge black bear. Imagine how terrified they were! They attempted to flee but the bear chased them. John managed to climb up onto a tree. James, just as he was about to be caught, fell to the ground and pretended to be dead. He knew, "A bear only attacks something if it is alive." The bear sniffed him all over, while the man tried to hold his breath as best as he could do hoping that the animal would not discover the pretence. In the end, after sniffing thoroughly, the bear must have thought that the man really was dead, because it ambled off on its huge paws. With the danger over, John came down from the tree and as often happens after a big fright, he felt like making jokes. So he asked his friend, 'Well, what did the bear whisper into your ear?' But James was not in the same mood for jokes and he did not appreciate the question at all. 'The bear said,' he answered, looking John straight in the eye, 'it would be advisable for you not to travel again with a friend, who runs off and abandons you when danger threatens!’ Because, a friend in need is a friend indeed.”

The Two Cockerels and The Eagle

There were once two cockerels. Both wanted to rule the roost in the farmyard and they decided to resolve the question, once and for all, by fighting a duel. They both fought bravely, but, in the end, one had to give up and ran away. The winner flew up onto a little wall and launched its triumphant, 'Cock-a-doodle-doo.' Unfortunately, the noise attracted the attention of an eagle, which swept down and raked the cockerel with its claws. From this, we see that God gives grace to the humble and He does not hesitate to punish those who are too proud.

The Trusting Shepherd

A shepherd used to take his flock of sheep to graze in a meadow. A wolf used to eye his fat sheep. He wanted to eat them. So he made a plan. One day he went to the shepherd and spoke to him in a soft voice. But the shepherd knew that the wolf could harm his flock. So he was very cautious. The cunning wolf slowly took him into confidence and soon they became friends. Meanwhile, the wolf with great difficulty, controlled his urge to attack the sheep that roamed near him. The shepherd started trusting the wolf. One day the shepherd had to return to the village in haste. He left the flock of sheep in the care of his friend the wolf. The wolf had waited patiently for such a chance for many weeks now. As soon as the shepherd left, the wolf pounced on the sheep. He ate up most of them. The shepherd returned and saw the remains of his flock. He realized that the wicked wolf had betrayed him. He cried out in sorrow for trusting the cruel wolf.

The Thankless Snake

Once there was a kind hearted farmer. So many a times, he would help the other farmers in their fields. He used to tend to the sick people and would always feed the hungry. He also liked to give love and care to animals and birds. One day the farmer went to a nearby village. As he was returning, he saw an injured snake on the road. It seemed that when the snake was crawling across the road some bullock cart had run over the creature. Luckily the snake was alive but it was unconscious. Its wounds were bleeding. The kind farmer gently wrapped the injured snake in a cloth and took it home. At home, the farmer washed and put some medicine on its wounds. Then he left the snake at home and went to the market to get some milk for it. When he came back, the snake had become conscious. It bit the farmer and he died instantly. The villagers said sadly, "The farmer did not know that an evil creature never changes its nature."

The Sun and The Moon

In the distant past, the moon used to be as bright as the sun. This meant that mankind could not tell day from night, as it was always light. There were all kinds of problems. People never knew when it was time to get up or when it was time to go to bed. The Lord realised that was happening and at once ordered the Archangel Gabriel to spread his wings and veil the light of the moon. And thus, the marks which we see on the surface of moon are scratches made by the angel's long wings.

The Stolen Horse

Once, a tired traveller, who was riding his horse the whole day, saw a shady grove of trees. He got down and after letting the horse to graze nearby, he lay down under a shady tree. After a few hours, the traveller woke up and saw that his horse was missing. He searched around the grove but could not find his horse. He saw a stout stick lying on the ground. Now, he knew that someone must have stolen his horse. He picked the stick and started walking towards the nearby village. He went to the village’s market. Then he waved the stick and shouted, “Who has stolen my horse? Whoever has done this must return my horse or I will do what I had done last time.” By his loud voice, the thief got scared. He brought the horse and handed it over to the traveller and asked in a whisper, “What did you do last time, your horse was stolen?” The traveller smiled and said, “Oh! I bought a new horse from the city.”