STORY

The Peacock and the Tortoise

ONCE upon a time a peacock and a tortoise became great friends. The peacock lived on a tree by the banks of the stream in which the tortoise had his home. Everyday, after he had a drink of water, the peacock will dance near the stream to the amusement of his tortoise friend. One unfortunate day, a bird-catcher caught the peacock and was about to take him away to the market. The unhappy bird begged his captor to allow him to bid his friend, the tortoise good-bye. The bird-catcher allowed him his request and took him to the tortoise. The tortoise was greatly disturbed to see his friend a captive. The tortoise asked the bird-catcher to let the peacock go in return for an expensive present. The bird-catcher agreed. The tortoise then, dived into the water and in a few seconds came up with a handsome pearl, to the great astonishment of the bird-catcher. As this was beyond his exceptions, he let the peacock go immediately. A short time after, the greedy man came back and told the tortoise that he had not paid enough for the release of his friend, and threatened to catch the peacock again unless an exact match of the pearl is given to him. The tortoise, who had already advised his friend, the peacock, to leave the place to a distant jungle upon being set free, was greatly enraged at the greed of this man. “Well,” said the tortoise, “if you insist on having another pearl like it, give it to me and I will fish you out an exact match for it.” Due to his greed, the bird-catcher gave the pearl to the tortoise, who swam away with it saying, “I am no fool to take one and give two!” The tortoise then disappeared into the water, leaving the bird-catcher without a single pearl

THE VILLAGER AND THE SPECTACLES

There was a 🌱villager. He was 🌱illiterate. He did not know how to read and write. He often saw people wearing 🌱spectacles for reading books or papers. He thought, “If I have spectacles, I can also read like these people. I must go to town and buy a pair of spectacles for myself.”
🍃So one day he went to a town. He entered a spectacles shop He asked the shopkeeper for a pair of spectacles for reading. The shopkeeper gave him various pairs of spectacles and a book.
The villager tried all the spectacles one by one. But he could not read anything. He
told the shopkeeper that all those spectacles were useless for him. The shopkeeper gave
him a 🌱doubtful look. Then he looked at the book. It was 🌱upside down! The shopkeeper said, “Perhaps you don’t know how to read.”

The villager said, “No, I don’t. I want to buy spectacles so that I can read like others. But I can’t read with any of these spectacles.”
The shopkeeper 😳controlled his laughter 😁with great difficulty when he learnt the real problem of his illiterate customer.
He explained to the villager, “My dear friend, you are very🌱ignorant. Spectacles don’t help to read or write. They only help you to see better. First of all you must learn to read and
write.” 🙂
✨Moral: Ignorance is 🌱blindness✨

THE WOODEN BOWL

A 🌱frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step 🌱faltered. The family ate together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's 🌱shaky hands and failing 🌱sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he 🌱grasped the glass often milk spilled on the 🌱tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the 🌱corner. There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner
at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family 🌱glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp 🌱admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
🍃One evening before 🌱supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood 🌱scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy
responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up. " The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so 🌱struck the parents that they were 🌱speechless. Then tears started to 🌱stream down their 🌱cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
🍃For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth 🌱soiled. Children are 🌱remarkably 🌱perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will 🌱imitate that
🌱attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day that building 🌱blocks are being laid for the child's future.
✨Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ...
today, and everyday!✨ 😊🌹

Which was beautiful????