58 stories for children

8/13/2019 58 Stories for children

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Contents

The last ride

I wanted to change the world

The law of the garbage truck

The two hospital patients

The tiger's whisker

The hedgehogs

The fence

Your influence on the universe

A turn of the screw

Every bucket counts

Two frogs in the milk

A story for Passover

Piece of mind

Jumping the ueue

!nowledge and wisdom

The starfish

The American dream

Ale"ander and #iogenes Testing for gossip

$afting

The mouse trap

A foot has no nose

%rom $ussia with love

&irtually no competition

The little wave

elieve what you feel

Everyone can play

I must at least try !ing Arthur and the witch

(elping hands

The teacher and the taught

)oing the e"tra mile

*ho you are

#ifferent perspectives

The eagle

The three races

The obstacle in our path

ad by name+ bad by nature,

Everyone is important The carrot- the egg- and the coffee bean

The two wolves

The great fire and the little water

A sense of a goose

The seeker of truth

A meeting of minds

.hopsticks

The problem with dandelions

In the same boat

The frogs and the tower The international food shortage

The Japanese master

The secret of happiness

The house with the golden windows
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gton.me.uk/stories.html#Story17http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story16http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story15http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story14http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story13http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story12http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story11http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story10http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story9http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story8http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story7http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story6


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/othing is written

The .hinese farmer

!ing 0olomon and the baby

The wise teacher and the 1ar

2istening 3 at .hristmas and always

The last ride

'Just a minute'- answered a frail- elderly voice4 I could hear something being dragged across the floor4 After a

long pause- the door opened4 A small woman in her 56s stood before me4 0he was wearing a print dress and

a pillbo" hat with a veil pinned on it- like somebody out of a 7586s movie4 y her side was a small nylon

suitcase4 The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years4 All the furniture was covered with

sheets4 There were no clocks on the walls- no knickknacks or utensils on the counters4 In the corner was a

cardboard bo" filled with photos and glassware4

'*ould you carry my bag out to the car,' she said4 I took the suitcase to the cab- then returned to assist the

woman4 0he took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb4 0he kept thanking me for my kindness4

'It's nothing'- I told her4 'I 1ust try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated4' '9h-

you're such a good boy'- she said4*hen we got in the cab- she gave me an address and then asked- '.ould you drive through downtown,' 'It's

not the shortest way'-' I answered uickly4 '9h- I don't mind-' she said4 'I'm in no hurry4 I'm on my way to a

hospice4' I looked in the rear3view mirror4 (er eyes were glistening4 'I don't have any family left'- she

continued in a soft voice4 'The doctor says I don't have very long4' I uietly reached over and shut off the

meter4

'*hat route would you like me to take,' I asked4 %or the ne"t two hours- we drove through the city4 0he

showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator4 *e drove through the

neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds4 0he had me pull up in front

of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl4 0ometimes

she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness- saying

nothing4

As the first hint of sun was creasing the hori:on- she suddenly said- 'I'm tired4 2et's go now'4 *e drove in

silence to the address she had given me4 It was a low building- like a small convalescent home- with a

driveway that passed under a portico4 Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up4 They were

solicitous and intent- watching her every move4 They must have been e"pecting her4

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door4 The woman was already seated in a wheelchair4

'(ow much do I owe you,' 0he asked- reaching into her purse4 '/othing'- I said 'You have to make a living'-

she answered4 'There are other passengers'- I responded4 Almost without thinking- I bent and gave her a hug4

0he held onto me tightly4 'You gave an old woman a little moment of 1oy'- she said4 'Thank you4' I suee:ed

her hand- and then walked into the dim morning light4

ehind me- a door shut4 It was the sound of the closing of a life4 I didn't pick up any more passengers that

shift4 I drove aimlessly lost in thought4 %or the rest of that day- I could hardly talk4 *hat if that woman had

gotten an angry driver- or one who was impatient to end his shift, *hat if I had refused to take the run- or

had honked once- then driven away, 9n a uick review- I don't think that I have done anything more

important in my life4 *e're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments4 ut great

moments often catch us unaware 3 beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one4

Author; /ew York .ity ta"i driver

I wanted to change the world

*hen I was a young man- I wanted to change the world4

I found it was difficult to change the world- so I tried to change my nation4
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*hen I found I couldn't change the nation- I began to focus on my town4 I couldn't change the town and as

an older man- I tried to change my family4

/ow- as an old man- I reali:e the only thing I can change is myself- and suddenly I reali:e that if long ago I

had changed myself- I could have made an impact on my family4


4/35

alone4 0lowly- painfully- he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside4

%inally- he would have the 1oy of seeing it for himself4 (e strained to slowly turn to look out the window

beside the bed4

It faced a blank wall4 The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had

described such wonderful things outside this window4 The nurse responded that the man was blind and could

not even see the wall4 0he said- >Perhaps he 1ust wanted to encourage you4>

The tiger's whisker

9nce upon a time- a young wife named Yun 9k was at her wit's end4 (er husband had always been a tender

and loving soulmate before he had left for the wars but- ever since he returned home- he was cross- angry-

and unpredictable4 0he was almost afraid to live with her own husband4 9nly in glancing moments did she

catch a shadow of the husband she used to know and love4

*hen one ailment or another bothered people in her village- they would often rush for a cure to a hermit

who lived deep in the mountains4 /ot Yun 9k4 0he always prided herself that she could heal her own

troubles4 ut this time was different4 0he was desperate4

As Yun 9k approached the hermit's hut- she saw the door was open4 The old man said without turning

around; >I hear you4 *hat's your problem,>

0he e"plained the situation4 (is back still to her- he said- >Ah yes- it's often that way when soldiers return

from the war4 *hat do you e"pect me to do about it,>

> cried the young wife4 >9r an amulet- a drink- whatever it takes to get my husband back

the way he used to be4>

The old man turned around4 >Young woman- your reuest doesn't e"actly fall into the same category as abroken bone or ear infection4>

>I know>- said she4

>It will take three days before I can even look into it4 .ome back then4>

Three days later- Yun 9k returned to the hermit's hut4 >Yun 9k>- he greeted her with a smile- >I have good

news4 There is a potion that will restore your husband to the way he used to be- but you should know that it

reuires an unusual ingredient4 You must bring me a whisker from a live tiger4>

>*hat,> she gasped4 >0uch a thing is impossible=>

>I cannot make the potion without it=> he shouted- startling her4 (e turned his back4 >There is nothing more

to say4 As you can see- I'm very busy4>

That night Yun 9k tossed and turned4 (ow could she get a whisker from a live tiger,

The ne"t day before dawn- she crept out of the house with a bowl of rice covered with meat sauce4 0he went

to a cave on the mountainside where a tiger was known to live4 0he clicked her tongue very softly as she

crept up- her heart pounding- and carefully set the bowl on the grass4 Then- trying to make as little noise as

she could- she backed away4

The ne"t day before dawn- she took another bowl of rice covered with meat sauce to the cave4 0he

approached the same spot- clicking softly with her tongue4 0he saw that the bowl was empty- replaced the


5/35

empty one with a fresh one- and again left- clicking softly and trying not to break twigs or rustle leaves- or

do anything else to startle and unsettle the wild beast4

0o it went- day after day- for several months4 0he never saw the tiger ?thank goodness for that= she thought@

though she knew from footprints on the ground that the tiger 3 and not a smaller mountain creature 3 had

been eating her food4 Then one day as she approached- she noticed the tiger's head poking out of its cave4

)lancing downward- she stepped very carefully to the same spot and with as little noise as she could- set

down the fresh bowl and- her heart pounding- picked up the one that was empty4

After a few weeks- she noticed the tiger would come out of its cave as it heard her footsteps- though it stayed

a distance away ?again- thank goodness= she thought- though she knew that someday- in order to get the

whisker- she'd have to come closer to it@4

Another month went by4 Then the tiger would wait by the empty food bowl as it heard her approaching4 As

she picked up the old bowl and replaced it with a fresh one- she could smell its scent- as it could surely smell

hers4

>Actually>- she thought- remembering its almost kittenish look as she set down a fresh bowl- >it is a rather

friendly creature- when you get to know it4> The ne"t time she visited- she glanced up at the tiger briefly andnoticed what a lovely downturn of reddish fur it had from over one of its eyebrows to the ne"t4 /ot a week

later- the tiger allowed her to gently rub its head- and it purred and stretched like a house cat4

Then she knew the time had come4 The ne"t morning- very early- she brought with her a small knife4 After

she set down the fresh bowl and the tiger allowed her to pet its head- she said in a low voice; >9h- my tiger-

may I please have 1ust one of your whiskers,> *hile petting the tiger with one hand- she held one whisker at

its base and- with the other hand- in one uick stroke- she carved the whisker off4 0he stood up- speaking

softly her thanks- and left- for the last time4

The ne"t morning seemed endless4 At last her husband left for the rice fields4 0he ran to the hermit's hut-

clutching the precious whisker in her fist4 ursting in- she cried to the hermit; >I have it= I have the tiger'swhisker=>

>You don't say,> he said- turning around4 >%rom a live tiger,>

>Yes=> she said4

>Tell me>- said the hermit- interested4 >(ow did you do it,>

Yun 9k told the hermit how- for the last si" months- she had earned the trust of the creature and it had

finally permitted her to cut off one of its whiskers4 *ith pride she handed him the whisker4 The hermit

e"amined it- satisfied himself that it was indeed a whisker from a live tiger- then flicked it into the fire whereit si::led and burned in an instant4

>Yun 9k>- the hermit said softly- >you no longer need the whisker4 Tell me- is a man more vicious than a

tiger, If a dangerous wild beast will respond to your gradual and patient care- do you think a man will

respond any less willingly,>

Yun 9k stood speechless4 Then she turned and stepped down the trail- turning over in her mind images of

the tiger and of her husband- back and forth4 0he knew what she could do4

0ource; !orean fable

The hedgehogs

It was the coldest winter ever4


6/35

The hedgehogs- reali:ing the situation- decided to group together to keep warm4 This way they covered and

protected themselves+ but the uills of each one wounded their closest companions4

After awhile- they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die- alone and

fro:en4 0o they had to make a choice; either accept the uills of their companions or disappear from the

Earth4

*isely- they decided to go back to being together4 They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the

close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others4 This way

they were able to survive4

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people- but when each individual learns to

live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good ualities4

The fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper4 (is father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every

time he lost his temper- he must hammer a nail into the fence4 The first day the boy had driven B nails intothe fence4 9ver the ne"t few weeks as he learned to control his anger- the number of nails hammered daily-

gradually dwindled down4 (e discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the

fence4

%inally the day came when the boy didnCt lose his temper at all4 (e told his father about it and the father

suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper4 The days

passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone4

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence4 (e said Dyou have done well- my son- but look

at the holes in the fence4 The fence will never be the same4 *hen you say things in anger- they leave a scar

1ust like this one4 You can put a knife in a man and draw it out4 It wonCt matter how many times you sayICm sorry- the wound is still there4 *hat problem,> >The problem of how relatively insignificant we are4>

(e said- >*ell- what would happen if a plane dropped you in the middle of the 0ahara #esert and you

picked up a single grain of sand with twee:ers and moved it one millimetre,> I said- >I'd probably die of

dehydration4> (e said- >I 1ust mean right then- when you moved that single grain of sand4 *hat would that

mean,>

I said- >I dunno- what,> (e said4 >Think about it4> I thought about it4 >I guess I would have moved a grain of

sand4> >*hich would mean,> >*hich would mean I moved a grain of sand,> >*hich would mean you

changed the 0ahara4>

>0o,> "So?"0o the 0ahara is a vast desert4 And it has e"isted for million of years4 And you changed it=>>That's true=> I said- sitting up4 >I changed the 0ahara=>

>*hich means,> he said4 >*hat, Tell me4> >*ell- I'm not talking about painting the Mona Lisaor curing

cancer4 I'm 1ust talking about moving that one grain of sand one millimetre4>


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>Yeah,> >If you hadn'tdone it- human history would have been one way 444> >Fh3huh,> >ut- you diddo it-

so444,>

I stood on the bed- pointed my fingers at the fake stars- and screamed; >I changed the universe=> >You did4>

0ource; >E"tremely 2oud G Incredibly .lose> by Jonathan 0afran %oer

A turn of the screw

There was an industrialist whose production line ine"plicably breaks down- costing him millions per day4 (e

finally tracks down an e"pert who takes out a screwdriver- turns one screw- and then 3 as the factory cranks

back to life 3 presents a bill for H76-6664

Affronted- the factory owner demands an itemised version4 The e"pert is happy to oblige; >%or turning a

screw; H74 %or knowing which screw to turn; H5-5554>

Author; 9liver urkeman in >The )uardian *eekend>- 7 August 677

Every bucket counts

9nce day- having learned that the !ing of %e: was hunting lions in the neighbourhood- they decided to

invite him and his court- and killed a number of sheep in his honour4 The sovereign had dinner and went to

bed4 *ishing to show their generosity- they placed a huge goatskin bottle before his door and agreed to fill it

up with milk for the royal breakfast4

The villagers all had to milk their goats and then each of them had to tip his bucket into the container4 )iven

its great si:e- each of them said to himself that he might 1ust as well dilute his milk with a good uantity of

water without anyone noticing4

To the e"tent that- in the morning- such a thin liuid was poured out for the king and his court that it had no

taste than the taste of meanness and greed4

0ource; >2eo The African> by Amin ut the skinny frog said- >!eep trying4 !eep paddling4 0omething will happen- keep paddling4>

Another couple of hours passed4

The fat frog said- >I can't go on any longer4 There's no sense in doing it because we're going to drown

anyway4 *hat's the use,> And the fat frog stopped4 (e gave up4 And he drowned in the milk4 ut the skinny

frog kept on paddling4


8/35

Ten minutes later- the skinny frog felt something solid beneath his feet4 (e had churned the milk into butter

and he hopped out of the vat4

Author; 4 ecause- you

see- his sonCs name was Adolf (itler .ampell4 9ne of the daughters is named is named Joyce2ynn Aryan

/ation .ampbell4 *ell- you get the point4

*hen I read about the Austrian baker


9/35

busses with Jewish children in them4 ecause there are those who are building nuclear weapons- having told

the world that their intention is to wipe the Jewish state off the face of the earth4 ecause people like that

make Pharaoh look like a nice guy4 ecause getting out of the house of bondage- out of slavery in Egypt-

was not the end of the story for the Jewish people- but was the beginning4

It is a story of a never3ending struggle for freedom- for dignity- for respect- for human rights- that has

universal resonance and meaning O for all people- everywhere- always4

0ource; Eric 2ee

Peace of mind

9nce uddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers4 This was in the initial

days4 *hile they were travelling- they happened to pass a lake4 They stopped there and uddha told one of

his disciples- DI am thirsty4 #o get me some water from that lake there4

The disciple walked up to the lake4 *hen he reached it- he noticed that some people were washing clothes in

the water and- right at that moment- a bullock cart started crossing through the lake4 As a result- the waterbecame very muddy- very turbid4 The disciple thought- D(ow can I give this muddy water to uddha to

drink= 0o he came back and told uddha- DThe water in there is very muddy4 I donCt think it is fit to drink4

After about half an hour- again uddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some

water to drink4 The disciple obediently went back to the lake4 This time he found that the lake had absolutely

clear water in it4 The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had4 0o he collected some

water in a pot and brought it to uddha4

uddha looked at the water- and then he looked up at the disciple and said- D0ee what you did to make the

water clean4 You let it be 444 and the mud settled down on its own K and you got clear water444 Your mind is

also like that4 *hen it is disturbed- 1ust let it be4 )ive it a little time4 It will settle down on its own4 YoudonCt have to put in any effort to calm it down4 It will happen4 It is effortless4

*hat did uddha emphasi:e here, (e said- DIt is effortless4 (aving 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous 1ob+

it is an effortless process4 *hen there is peace inside you- that peace permeates to the outside4 It spreads

around you and in the environment- such that people around start feeling that peace and grace4

umping the !ueue

Today- a true tale of heroism that takes place not in a war :one- nor a hospital- but in &ictoria station in

2ondon in 66B- during a tube strike4 9ur hero K a transport 1ournalist and self3described >big- stocky bloke

with a shaven head> named )areth Edwards- who first wrote about this e"perience on the community blog

metafilter4com K is standing with other commuters in a long- snaking line for a bus- when a smartly dressed

businessman blatantly cuts in line behind him4 ?Behindhim; this detail matters4@

The interloper proves immune to polite remonstration- whereupon Edwards is sei:ed by a magnificent idea4

(e turns to the elderly woman standing behind the ueue31umper- and asks her if she'd like to go ahead of

him4 0he accepts- so he asks the person behind her- and the ne"t person- and the ne"t K until 6 or B6 people

have moved ahead- Edwards and the seething ueue31umper shuffling further backwards all the time4 The

bus finally pulls up- and Edwards hears a shout from the front of the line4 It's the elderly woman- addressing

him; >Young man= #o you want to go in front of me,>

Author; 9liver urkeman in >The )uardian *eekend>- N August 676


10/35

"nowledge and wisdom

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom4

!nowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit not a vegetable4

*isdom is knowing not to include it in a fruit salad4

The starfish

9nce a man was walking along a beach4 The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day4 9ff in the distance

he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach4 ack and forth this

person went4 As the man approached- he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand

as the result of the natural action of the tide4

The man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task4 There were far too many starfish4 You must be cra:y4 There are thousands of miles of beach covered

with starfish4 You can't possibly make a difference4> The person looked at the man4 (e then stooped down

and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean4 (e turned back to the man and said; >It sure

made a difference to that one=>

The American dream

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal (ow long did it take you to catch them,> the American asked4

>9nly a little while> the ut> the American then asked- >*hat do you do with the rest of your time,>

The ut senor- how long will this all take,>


11/35

To which the American replied; >7M36 years4>

>ut what then- senor,>

The American laughed and said; >That's the best part4 *hen the time is right- you would announce an IP9 3

an Initial Public 9ffering 3 and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich4 You would

make millions4>

>

The American said slowly; >Then you would retire4

Ale#ander and $iogenes

/ow when Ale"ander Qthe )reatR appeared before the )reek leaders in .orinth they greeted him warmly and

paid him lavish compliments3 all of them- that is but one4 A funny fellow- a philosopher named #iogenes4(e had views not unlike those of the uddha4 According to him- possessions and all the things we think we

need only serve to distract us and get in the way of our simple en1oyment of life4 0o he had given away

everything he owned and now sat- almost naked- in a barrel in the market suare in .orinth where he lived-

free and independent like a stray dog4

.urious to meet this strange fellow- Ale"ander went to call on him4 #ressed in shining armour- the plume on

his helmet waving in the bree:e- he walked up to the barrel and said to #iogenes; 'I like you4 2et me know

your wish and I shall grant it4' #iogenes- who had until then been comfortably sunning himself- replied;

'Indeed- 0ire- I have a wish4' '*ell- what is it,' 'Your shadow has fallen over me; stand a little less between

me and the sun4' Ale"ander is said to have been so struck by this that he said; 'If I weren't Ale"ander- I

should like to be #iogenes4'

0ource; >A 2ittle (istory 9f The *orld> by E4(4 )ombrich

Testing for gossip

In ancient )reece- 0ocrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem4 9ne day an acuaintance met the

great philosopher and said- >#o you know what I 1ust heard about your friend,>

>(old on a minute>- 0ocrates replied4 >efore telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test4 It's called

the Triple %ilter Test4>

>Triple filter,>

>That's right>- 0ocrates continued4 >efore you talk to me about my friend- it might be a good idea to take a

moment and filter what you're going to say4 That's why I call it the triple filter test4 The first filter is Truth4

(ave you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true,>

>/o->-the man said- >Actually I 1ust heard about it and 444>

>All right>- said 0ocrates4 >0o you don't really know if it's true or not4 /ow let's try the second filter- thefilter of %oodness4 Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good,>

>/o- on the contrary4>


12/35

>0o>- 0ocrates continued- >you want to tell me something bad about him- but you're not certain it's true4 You

may still pass the test though- because there's one filter left; the filter of &sefulness4 Is what you want to tell

me about my friend going to be useful to me,>

>/o- not really4>

>*ell>- concluded 0ocrates- >if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful- why tell it

to me at all,>

afting

y good fortune- I was able to raft down the


13/35

It remains difficult to believe that the e"ternal circumstances of the two 1ourneys were similar4 The

difference was in an attitude and a frame of mind4 At the end of the 1ourney- it seemed that there could be no

other way4 )iven the opportunity to choose a leader- everyone would have chosen someone like u::4 At

the end of the second 1ourney- we had glimpsed a very different vision and we felt humble 3 and intensely

happy4

The mouse trap

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package4 >*hat food

might this contain,> the mouse wondered4 (e was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap4

$etreating to the farmyard- the mouse proclaimed the warning; >There is a mousetrap in the house= There is

a mousetrap in the house=>

The chicken clucked and scratched- raised her head and said >There is a mousetrap in the house= There is a mousetrap in thehouse=> The pig sympathi:ed- but said >I am so very sorry- There is a mousetrap in the house= There is a mousetrap in the

house=> The cow said >*ow-


14/35

after serving the group- she called me to the veranda where she usually sat to attend to her sewing and

knitting4

2ooking straight into my eyes- she daid >Tsholofelo- why did you sulk when I reuested you to prepare a

meal for those poor destitute people,> #espite my attempt to deny her allegation- and using the heat of the

fire and the sun as an e"cuse for my alleged behaviour- mother- giving me a firm look- said >>2onao ga lo na

nko> 3 >A foot has no nose>4 It means; you cannot detect what trouble may lie ahead of you4

(ad I denied this group of people a meal- it may have happened that- in my travels some time in the future- I

found myself at the mercy of those very individuals4 As if that was not enough to shame me- mother

continued; >4 The literal meaning; >A person is a person because of

another person>4

0ource; >African *isdom> by Ellen !4 !u:wayo

(rom ussia with love

*hen the 0oviet Fnion collapsed in 7557- the communications trade union for which I then workedreceived several delegations from the emergent nations and we ran courses for them on how market

economies operated and how free collective bargaining was conducted4 As is my practice when lecturing to

foreign audiences- I had my visual aids translated into the vernacular- so I used overhead slides in $ussian-

although of course I spoke in English and had an interpreter4

I cannot read the cyrillic alphabet and know very little $ussian- so I 1ust worked through my slides in order4

(owever- there came a point when I could tell from the statistical data on the latest slide that- for the

previous ten minutes- I had been speaking to the wrong slide4 ritish students would have pointed this out in

seconds- but none of the $ussians had said a word4

I was perple"ed and asked why nobody had told me that I had been speaking to the wrong slide4 Eventuallyone brave soul volunteered an answer and the interpreter translated; >In our country- no one challenges the

teacher>4

Author; $oger #arlington

)irtually no competition

*hile professional soccer is still struggling to find a firm foothold in the Fnited 0tates- in the 75B6s the

/orth American 0occer 2eague marked the brave first attempt to introduce the game to American sports

fans4 *hile most teams had only limited success at best- one did manage to break through to genuine

mainstream popularity 3 the /ew York .osmos4

It was the brainchild of 0teve $oss- a passionate soccer fan who was also a ma1or e"ecutive at *arner

.ommunications4

by )avin /ewsham

The little wave


15/35

The story is abut a little wave- bobbing along in the ocean- having a grand old time4 (e's en1oying the wind

and the fresh air 3 until he notices the other waves in front of him- crashing against the shore4 >- the wave says4 >2ook what's going to happen to me=>

Then along comes another wave4 It sees the first wave- looking grim- and it says to him; >*hy do you look

so sad,> The first wave says; >You don't understand= *e're all going to crash= All of us waves are going to

be nothing= Isn't it terrible,>

The second wave says; >/o- you don't understand4 You're not a wave- you're part of the ocean4>

0ource; >Tuesdays *ith by *hen not interfered with by outside influences- everything nature does is done with perfection4 Yet my

son- 0hay- cannot learn things as other children do4 (e cannot understand things as other children do4 *here

is the natural order of things in my son,> The audience was stilled by the uery4

The father continued4 >I believe-that when a child like 0hay- physically and mentally handicapped comes

into the world- an opportunity to reali:e true human nature presents itself- and it comes- in the way other

people treat that child4>Then he told the following story;

0hay and his father had walked past a park where some boys 0hay knew were playing baseball4 0hay

asked->#o you think they'll let me play,> 0hay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someonelike 0hay on their team- but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play- it would give him

a much3needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps4


16/35

0hay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if 0hay could play- not e"pecting much4 The

boy looked around for guidance and said- >*e're losing by si" runs and the game is in the eighth inning4 I

guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning4>

0hay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his %ather had a small

tear in his eye and warmth in his heart4 The boys saw the father's 1oy at his son being accepted4 In the bottom

of the eighth inning- 0hay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three4 In the top of the ninth

inning- 0hay put on a glove and played in the right field4

Even though no hits came his way- he was obviously ecstatic 1ust to be in the game and on the field-

grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands4 In the bottom of the ninth inning- 0hay's

team scored again4 /ow- with two outs and the bases loaded- the potential winning run was on base and

0hay was scheduled to be ne"t at bat4

At this 1uncture- do they let 0hay bat and give away their chance to win the game, 0urprisingly- 0hay was

given the bat4 Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because 0hay didn't even know how to hold

the bat properly- much less connect with the ball4

(owever- as 0hay stepped up to the plate- the pitcher- recogni:ing the other team putting winning aside forthis moment in 0hay's life- moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so 0hay could at least be able to

make contact4 The first pitch came and 0hay swung clumsily and missed4 The pitcher again took a few steps

forward to toss the ball softly towards 0hay4 As the pitch came in- 0hay swung at the ball and hit a slow

ground ball right back to the pitcher4

The game would now be over- but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the

ball to the first baseman4 0hay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game4

Instead- the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman- out of reach of all team mates4

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling- >0hay- run to first= $un to first=> /ever in his life

had 0hay ever ran that far but made it to first base4 (e scampered down the baseline- wide3eyed and startled4

Everyone yelled- >$un to second- run to second=> .atching his breath- 0hay awkwardly ran towards second-

gleaming and struggling to make it to second base4 y the time 0hay rounded towards second base- the right

fielder had the ball- the smallest guy on their team- who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first

time4 (e could have thrown the ball to the second3baseman for the tag- but he understood the pitcher's

intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third3baseman's head4 0hay ran

toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home4

All were screaming- >0hay- 0hay- 0hay- all the *ay 0hay> 0hay reached third base- the opposing shortstop

ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base- and shouted- >$un to third= 0hay- run to third>

As 0hay rounded third- the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming->0hay- run home= 0hay ran to home- stepped on the plate- and was cheered as the hero who hit the >grand

slam> and won the game for his team4

That day- said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face- the boys from both teams helped bring

a piece of true love and humanity into this world4 0hay didn't make it to another summer and died that

winter- having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing

his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day=

0ource; $abbi Paysach !rohn- a popular lecturer and best3selling author of the Art0croll


17/35

In June 75NM- two ritish mountaineers Joe 0impson and 0imon Yates made the first3ever climb of the *est

%ace of the 7-666 foot snow3covered 0iula )rande mountain in Peru4 It was an e"ceptionally tough assault

3 but nothing compared to what was to come4 Early in the descent- 0impson fell and smashed his right knee4

Yates could have abandoned him but managed to find a way of lowering him down the mountain in a series

of difficult drops blinded by snow and cold4 Then 0impson fell into a crevasse and Yates eventually had no

choice but to cut the rope- utterly convinced that his friend was now dead4

In his subseuent book on the climb entitled >Touching The &oid>- Joe 0impson wrote;

"As I gazed at the distant moraines, I knew that I must at least try. I would proaly die out there amid

those oulders. !he thought didn't alarm me. It seemed reasonale, mattero##a$t. !hat was how it was. I

$ould aim #or something. I# I died, well, that wasn't so surprising, ut I wouldn't ha%e &ust waited #or it to

happen. !he horror o# dying no longer a##e$ted me as it had in the $re%asse. I now had the $han$e to

$on#ront it and struggle against it. It wasn't a leak dark terror any more, &ust #a$t, like my roken leg and

#rostitten #ingers, and I $ouldn't e a#raid o# things like that. My leg would hurt when I #ell and when I

$ouldn't get up I would die."

The survival of Yates himself was e"traordinary4 That 0impson somehow found a way of climbing out of

the crevasse after 7 hours and then literally crawled and dragged himself si" miles back to camp- goingthree days and nights without food or drink- losing three stone- and contracting ketoacidosis in the process-

would be the stuff of heroic fiction if it was not so true4 Indeed- si" operations and two years later- he was

even back climbing4 All because- against all the odds- he tried 444

0ource; >Touching The &oid> by Joe 0impson

"ing Arthur and the witch

Young !ing Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom4 The monarch

could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals4 0o- the monarch offered him hisfreedom- as long as he could answer a very difficult uestion4 Arthur would have a year to figure out the

answer and- if after a year- he still had no answer- he would be put to death4

The uestion,4444*hat do women really want, 0uch a uestion would perple" even the most knowledgeable

man- and to young Arthur- it seemed an impossible uery4 ut- since it was better than death- he accepted

the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end4

(e returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone; the princess- the priests- the wise men and even the

court 1ester4 (e spoke with everyone- but no one could give him a satisfactory answer4


18/35

witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared4 And so it was- the neighboring

monarch granted Arthur his freedom and 2ancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding4

The honeymoon hour approached and 2ancelot- steeling himself for a horrific e"perience- entered the

bedroom4 ut- what a sight awaited him4 The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the

bed4 The astounded 2ancelot asked what had happened

The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch- she would

henceforth- be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half4 *hich

would he prefer, eautiful during the day444or night,

2ancelot pondered the predicament4 #uring the day- a beautiful woman to show off to his friends- but at

night- in the privacy of his castle- an old witch, 9r- would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day-

but by night- a beautiful woman for him to en1oy wondrous intimate moments,

/oble 2ancelot said that he would allow (E$ to make the choice herself4 Fpon hearing this- she announced

that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her

own life4

+elping hands

A mother- wishing to encourage her son's progress at the piano- bought tickets to a performance by the great

Polish pianist Ignace Paderewski4 *hen the evening arrived- they found their seats near the front of the

concert hall and eyed the ma1estic 0teinway waiting on the stage4 0oon the mother found a friend to talk to-

and the boy slipped away4

At eight o'clock- the lights in the auditorium began to dim- the spotlights came on- and only then did they

notice the boy 3 up on the piano bench- innocently picking out >Twinkle- Twinkle 2ittle 0tar4> (is mother

gasped in shock and embarassment but- before she could retrieve her son- the master himself appeared onthe stage and uickly moved to the keyboard4

(e whispered gently to the boy- >#on't uit4 !eep playing4> 2eaning over- Paderewski reached down with

his left hand and began filling in the bass part4 0oon his right arm reached around the other side and

improvised a delightful obligato4 Together- the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmeri:ed

with their blended and beautiful music4

In all our lives- we receive helping hands 3 some we notice- some we don't4 Eually we ourselves have

countless opportunites to provide helping hands 3 sometimes we would like our assistance to be noticed-

sometimes we don't4 2ittle of what we all achieve is without learning from others and without support from

others and what we receive we should hand out4

The teacher and the taught

A young teacher from an industrial city in the north of England had accepted a temporary 1ob teaching a

class of four3year3olds out in one of the most isolated- rural parts of north *ales4 9ne of her first lessons

involved teaching the letter 0 so she held up a big colour photograph of a sheep and said; >/ow- who can

tell me what this is,>

/o answer4 Twenty blank and wordless faces looked back at her4 >.ome on- who can tell me what this is,>she e"claimed- tapping the photograph determinedly- unable to believe that the children were uite so

ignorant4 The 6 faces became apprehensive and even fearful as she continued to uestion them with

mounting frustration4


19/35

Eventually- one brave soul put up a tiny- reluctant hand4 >Yes=> she cried- waving the snap aloft4 >Tell me

what you think this is=> >Please- said the boy warily4 >Is it a three3year3old order 2eicester,>

0ource; >)uardian>- /ovember 66M

%oing the e#tra mile

I was 6 and had 1ust finished my first degree when I aksed my father's advice on how to approach the world

of work4 (e had a long and distinguished career in the Indian Army and rose to become commander3in3chief

of a million men4 (e was a soldier's soldier and his men adored him4 (is manner was strict and firm- but he

was very friendly4 (e appreciated and trusted people and gave then freedom4

>.ome and see me in my office if you want to talk to me about work> he said4 0o I made an appointment

with his A#. and went to see him4 (e had a huge office and I felt very small4

>You are starting out and you will be given a lot of tasks to fulfil> he said4 >The first thing is always to do

something to the best of your ability4 Then the second time you do it- give it that little bit e"tra>4 *hat he

was saying was; >Take the initiative+ be innovative+ be creative4 Always go the e"tra mile4>

0ource; !aran ilimoria- founder and chief e"ecutive of .obra eer- speaking to 0heridan *inn for

>usiness 2ife>4

,ho you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say

At the beginning of my N;66 a4m4 class one Everymorning when you get up- you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day>- I said to the

young man4 >I choose to be cheerful>4 >2et me give you an e"ample>- I continued4

The other 6 students in the class ceased their chatter and began to listen to our conversation4

As soon as I got there- I called AAA and asked them to send a tow truck4 The secretary in the Provost's

office asked me what had happened4 >This is my lucky day>- I replied- smiling4 >Your car breaks down and

today is your lucky day,,> 0he was pu::led4 >*hat do you mean,>

>I live 7B miles from here>- I replied4 > The secretary's

eyes opened wide- and then she smiled4 I smiled back and headed for class4' 0o ended my story to the

students in my economics class at F/2&4

I scanned the 6 faces in the lecture hall4 #espite the early hour- no one seemed to be asleep4 0omehow- my

story had touched them4 9r maybe it wasn't the story at all4 In fact- it had all started with a student's

observation that I was cheerful4 A wise man once said; >*ho you are speaks louder to me than anything you

can say>4 I suppose it must be so4

Author; 2ee $yan Teaching Amidst the /eon Palm Trees> 3 for whose website

click here4
http://www.leeryanmiller.com/http://www.leeryanmiller.com/


20/35

$ifferent perspectives

The You're very remote here-

aren't you,> 0he responded; >$emote from what,>

The eagle

9nce a farmer found an abandoned eagle's nest and in it was an egg still warm4 (e took the egg back to his

farm and laid it in the nest of one of his hens4 The egg hatched and the baby eagle grew up along with the

other chickens4 It pecked about the farmyard- scrabbling for grain4 It spent its life within the yard and rarely

looked up4 *hen it was very old- one day it lifted up its head and saw above it a wonderful sight 3 an eagle

soaring high above in the sky4 2ooking at it- the old creature sighed and said to itself- >If only I'd been born

an eagle>4

0ource; an adaptation from an Anthony de Another race- another race=> pleaded the little boy4 The wise old man stepped forward and presented the

little boy with two new challengers- an elderly frail lady and a blind man4 >*hat is this,>- ui::ed the little

boy4 >This is no race> he e"claimed4 >$ace=>- said the wise man4 The race was started and the boy was the

only finisher- the other two challengers left standing at the starting line4 The little boy was ecstatic- he raised

his arms in delight4 The crowd- however- was silent showing no sentiment toward the little boy4

>*hat has happened, *hy not do the people 1oin in my success,> he asked the wise old man4 >$ace again>-

replied the wise man- >444this time- finish together- all three of you- finish together> continued the wise man4

The little boy thought a little- stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady- and then took the

two challengers by the hand4 The race began and the little boy walked slowly- ever so slowly- to the

finishing line and crossed it4 The crowd were ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy4 The wise man

smiled- gently nodding his head4 The little boy felt proud and important4

>9ld man- I understand not= *ho are the crowd cheering for, *hich one of us three,>- asked the little boy4

The wise old man looked into the little boy's eyes- placing his hands on the boy's shoulders- and replied

softly 44 >2ittle boy- for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before- and

for this race the crowd cheer not for any winner=>


21/35

Author; #arren Edwards

The obstacle in our path

In ancient times- a !ing had a boulder placed on a roadway4 Then he hid himself and watched to see if

anyone would remove the huge rock4 0ome of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and

simply walked around it4


22/35

Just before class ended- one student asked if the last uestion would count toward the ui: grade4

>Absolutely-> said the professor4 >In your careers- you will meet many people4 All are significant4 They each

deserve your attention and care- even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'>4 Tell me- what do you

see,>

>.arrots- eggs- and coffee-> the young woman replied4 The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel

the carrots4 0he did and noted that they were soft4 0he then asked her to take an egg and break it4 After

pulling off the shell- she observed the hard3boiled egg4 %inally- she asked her to sip the coffee4 The daughter

smiled as she tasted its rich aroma4 The daughter then asked- >*hat does it mean- mother,>

(er mother e"plained that each of these ob1ects had faced the same adversity 3 boiling water 3 but each

reacted differently4 The carrot went in strong- hard and unrelenting4 (owever- after being sub1ected to the

boiling water- it softened and became weak4

The egg had been fragile4 Its thin outer shell had protected its liuid interior4 ut- after sitting through theboiling water- its inside became hardened= The ground coffee beans were uniue- however4 After they were

in the boiling water- they had changed the water4

>*hich are you,> the mother asked her daughter4 >*hen adversity knocks on your door- how do you

respond, Are you a carrot- an egg- or a coffee bean,> Think of this; *hich am I, Am I the carrot that seems

strong but- with pain and adversity- do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength, Am I the egg that starts

with a malleable heart- but changes with the heat, #id I have a fluid spirit but- after a death- a breakup- or a

financial hardship- does my shell look the same- but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and

a hardened heart, 9r am I like the coffee bean, The bean actually changes the hot water- the very

circumstance that brings the pain4 *hen the water gets hot- it releases the fragrance and flavour4

If you are like the bean- when things are at their worst- you get better and change the situation around you4

*hen the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest- do you elevate to another level, (ow do you

handle adversity, Are you a carrot- an egg- or a coffee bean,

The two wolves

A /ative American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt4 (e said- >I feel as if I have

two wolves fighting in my heart4 9ne wolf is the vengeful- angry- violent one4 The other wolf is the loving-

compassionate one4> The grandson asked him- >*hich wolf will win the fight in your heart,> Thegrandfather answered; >The one I feed4>

The great fire and the little water


23/35

Among the A:tec people of &> formation- you might

consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way4 As each bird flaps its wings- it creates an

uplift for the bird immediately following4 y flying in a >&> formation- the whole flock adds at least B7

percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own4

eople who share a $ommon dire$tion and sense o# $ommunity $an get where they are going more (ui$kly

and easily, e$ause they are tra%elling on the thrust o# one another.

*hen a goose falls out of formation- it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone anduickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front4

I# we ha%e the sense o# a goose, we will stay in #ormation with those people who are heading the same way

we are.

*hen the head goose gets tired- it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point4

It is sensile to take turns doing demanding &os, whether with people or with geese #lying south.

)eese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed4

)hat message do we gi%e when we honk #rom ehind?

%inally 3 and this is important 3 when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot- and falls out of the

formation- two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection4 They stay

with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies+ and only then do they launch out on their own- or

with another formation to catch up with their own group4

I# we ha%e the sense o# a goose, we will stand y ea$h other like that.

The seeker of truth

After years of searching- the seeker was told to go to a cave- in which he would find a well4 'Ask the well

what is truth'- he was advised- 'and the well will reveal it to you'4 (aving found the well- the seeker askedthat most fundamental uestion4 And from the depths came the answer- ')o to the village crossroad; there

you shall find what you are seeking'4


24/35

%ull of hope and anticipation the man ran to the crossroad to find only three rather uninteresting shops4 9ne

shop was selling pieces of metal- another sold wood- and thin wires were for sale in the third4 /othing and

no one there seemed to have much to do with the revelation of truth4

#isappointed- the seeker returned to the well to demand an e"planation- but he was told only- 'You will

understand in the future4' *hen the man protested- all he got in return were the echoes of his own shouts4

Indignant for having been made a fool of 3 or so he thought at the time 3 the seeker continued his wanderings

in search of truth4 As years went by- the memory of his e"perience at the well gradually faded until one

night- while he was walking in the moonlight- the sound of sitar music caught his attention4 It was wonderful

music and it was played with great mastery and inspiration4

Profoundly moved- the truth seeker felt drawn towards the player4 (e looked at the fingers dancing over the

strings4 (e became aware of the sitar itself4 And then suddenly he e"ploded in a cry of 1oyous recognition;

the sitar was made out of wires and pieces of metal and wood 1ust like those he had once seen in the three

stores and had thought it to be without any particular significance4

At last he understood the message of the well; we have already been given everything we need; our task is to

assemble and use it in the appropriate way4 /othing is meaningful so long as we perceive only separate

fragments4 ut as soon as the fragments come together into a synthesis- a new entity emerges- whose naturewe could not have foreseen by considering the fragments alone4

A meeting of minds


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ui::ically4 9ne or two even had a gentle smile playing on their lips4 9nly gradually did it dawn on him 3

they could hear histhoughts and hewas not really saying what he was thinking4

As the meeting progressed- efore I die let me visitboth hell and heaven4> (er wish was granted4

0he was whisked off to a great banueting hall4 The tables were piled high with delicious food and drink4

Around the tables sat miserable- starving people as wretched as could be4 >*hy are they like this,> she

asked the angel who accompanied her4 >2ook at their arms-> the angel replied4 0he looked and saw that

attached to the people's arms were long chopsticks secured above the elbow4 Fnable to bend their elbows-

the people aimed the chopsticks at the food- missed every time and sat hungry- frustrated and miserable4

>Indeed this is hell= Take me away from here=>

0he was then whisked off to heaven4 Again she found herself in a great banueting hall with tables piled

high4 Around the tables sat people laughing- contented- 1oyful4 >/o chopsticks I suppose-> she said4 >9h yesthere are4 2ook 3 1ust as in hell they are long and attached above the elbow but look444 here people have

learnt to feed one another>4

The problem with dandelions

A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with a large crop of dandelions4 (e tried every

method he knew to get rid of them4 0till they plagued him4

%inally he wrote to the #epartment of Agriculture4 (e enumerated all the things he had tried and closed his

letter with the uestion; >*hat shall I do now,>

In due course- the reply came; >*e suggest you learn to love them4>

In the same boat

Two men were out on the ocean in a boat4

9ne of them began drilling in the bottom of the boat- and the other- aghast said >*hat are you doing, 0top

drilling=>4

And the first man replied; >It's all right4 I'm only drilling on my side4>


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The frogs and the tower

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs444

444 who arranged a running competition4 The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower4 A big crowd had

gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants444

The race began444

(onestly- no3one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower4 You heard

statements such as;

>9h- *AY too difficult==>

>They will /E&E$ make it to the top>4

>/ot a chance that they will succeed4 The tower is too high=>

The tiny frogs began collapsing4 9ne by one444

444 E"cept for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher444

The crowd continued to yell

>It is too difficult=== /o one will make it=>

food> meant4

In Eastern Europe they didn't know what >honest> meant4


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In *estern Europe they didn't know what >shortage> meant4

In .hina they didn't know what >opinion> meant4

In the please> meant4

And- in the F0A they didn't know what >the rest of the world> meant4

The apanese master

A great Japanese master received a university professor who came to enuire about wisdom4 The master

served tea4 (e poured his visitor's cup full- and then kept on pouring4 The professor watched the overflow

until he could no longer restrain himself4 'It is overfull4 /o more will go in=' '2ike this cup-' the master said-

'you are full of your own opinions and speculations4 (ow can I show you wisdom unless you first empty

your cup,'

The secret of happiness

A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world4

The lad wandered through the desert for 86 days- and finally came upon a beautiful castle- high atop a

mountain4 It was there that the wise man lived4

$ather than finding a saintly man- though- our hero- on entering the main room of the castle- saw a hive of

activity; tradesmen came and went- people were conversing in the corners- a small orchestra was playing

soft music- and there was a table covered with platters of the most delicious food in that part of the world4

The wise man conversed with everyone- and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn to begiven the man's attention4

The wise man listened attentively to the boy's e"planation of why he had come- but told him that he didn't

have time 1ust then to e"plain the secret of happiness4 (e suggested that the boy look around the palace and

return in two hours4

>- said the wise man- handing the boy a teaspoon that held

two drops of oil4 >As you wander around- carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill>4

The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of the palace- keeping his eyes fi"ed on the

spoon4 After two hours- he returned to the room where the wise man was4

>*ell>- asked the wise man- >#id you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my dining hall, #id you

see the garden that it took the master gardener ten years to create, #id you notice the beautiful parchments

in my library,>

The boy was embarrassed- and confessed that he had observed nothing4 (is only concern had been not to

spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him4

>Then go back and observe the marvels of my world>- said the wise man4 >You cannot trust a man if you

don't know his house>4

$elieved- the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his e"ploration of the palace- this time observing all

of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls4 (e saw the gardens- the mountains all around him- the


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As an impressionable teenager when this film was first released- I was stunned by 2awrence's courage and

unselfishness in going back into the hell of the /efud to attempt to find a man he hardly knew among the

vast e"panse of a fiery terrain and I was so moved by the sense of purpose of a man who is determined to

take nothing as >written> but to shape his own destiny4 This sense of anti3determinism and this belief that

anything is possible has stayed with me always and continues to inspire me in small ways and large4

Author; $oger #arlington

The Chinese farmer

There is a .hinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields4 9ne day the horse

escaped into the hills and- when all the farmer's neighbours sympathised with the old man over his bad luck-

the farmer replied- 'ad luck, )ood luck, *ho knows,'

A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbours

congratulated the farmer on his good luck4 (is reply was- ')ood luck, ad luck, *ho knows,'

Then- when the farmer's son was attempted to tame one of the wild horses- he fell off its back and broke hisleg4 Everyone thought this very bad luck4 /ot the farmer- whose only reaction was- 'ad luck, )ood luck,

*ho knows,'

0ome weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able3bodied youth they found

there4 *hen they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg they let him off4 /ow was that good luck, ad

luck, *ho knows,

"ing 1olomon and the baby

9ne day- the wise !ing 0olomon was approached by two women arguing over a baby4 Each claimed thechild was hers4 Fnable to 1udge- !ing 0olomon thought up a plan 3 he offered to cut the baby in half- giving

half to the one and half to the other4

The first women agreed with the !ing; >2et the baby be neither mine nor hers- but divide it4 If I can't have

the child>- she cried- >she can't have it either>4 The second women pleaded with 0olomon not to hurt the

child4 >)ive her the baby4 I'd rather lose the child that see it slain>4

0olomon knew immediately that this was the rightful mother4 (e returned the baby to her4

The wise teacher and the 2ar

There was once a very wise teacher- whose words of wisdom students would come from far and wide to

hear4 9ne day as usual- many students began to gather in the teaching room4 They came in and sat down

very uietly- looking to the front with keen anticipation- ready to hear what the teacher had to say4

Eventually the teacher came in and sat down in front of the students4 The room was so uiet you could hear

a pin drop4 9n one side of the teacher was a large glass 1ar4 9n the other side was a pile of dark grey rocks4

*ithout saying a word- the teacher began to pick up the rocks one by one and place them very carefully in

the glass 1ar ?Plonk4 Plonk4@ *hen all the rocks were in the 1ar- the teacher turned to the students and asked-

'Is the 1ar full,' 'Yes-' said the students4 'Yes- teacher- the 1ar is full'4

*ithout saying a word- the teacher began to drop small round pink pebbles carefully into the large glass 1ar

so that they fell down between the rocks4 ?.lickety click4 .lickety click4@ *hen all the pebbles were in the


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1ar- the teacher turned to the students and asked- 'Is the 1ar now full,' The students looked at one another and

then some of them started nodding and saying- 'Yes4 Yes- teacher- the 1ar is now full4 Yes'4

*ithout saying a word- the teacher took some fine silver sand and let it trickle with a gentle sighing sound

into the large glass 1ar ?whoosh@ where it settled around the pink pebbles and the dark grey rocks4 *hen all

the sand was in the 1ar- the teacher turned to the students and asked- 'Is the 1ar now full,'

The students were not so confident this time- but the sand had clearly filled all the space in the 1ar so a few

still nodded and said- 'Yes- teacher- the 1ar is now full4 /ow it's full'4

*ithout saving a word- the teacher took a 1ug of water and poured it carefully- without splashing a drop- into

the large glass 1ar4 ?)loog4 )loog4@

*hen the water reached the brim- the teacher turned to the students and asked- 'Is the 1ar now full,'


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out to dinner4 There will always be time to clean the house- and fi" the rubbish4 Take care of the golf balls

first- the things that really matter4 0et your priorities4 The rest is 1ust sand>4

9ne of the students raised her hand and inuired what the beer represented4 The professor smiled4 >I'm glad

you asked4 It 1ust goes to show you that- no matter how full your life may seem- there's always room for a

couple of beers>4

3istening 4 at Christmas and always

A few years after I left my secondary school in


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washing all the dirt and dust off his tough hide.

He looked all around him. here were tall reeds lining the banks, manywaterfowl flying overhead and some bobbing up and down on the gentle waves. Alismiled. He knew that he was going to like it here. he trees lining the river were filledwith bright, colorful flowers. here were no lions, no water buffalo and no hyenas. Hefelt very happy. He decided that he just might stay at the river for a while. %eelingcontent, he shut his eyes and fell asleep. he midnight sky was filled with stars anda bright, glowing moon.

Ali woke up to some grunting noises behind him. He turned his big gray bodyaround. here were several wild pigs standing in the mud. hey dropped into themucky mess and started rolling around in it. hey were soon covered with thickblack mud. Ali couldn!t even tell what color the hair on their bodies was. here wasso much mud. &uddenly he started laughing. 'hat a sight that was to see all thosedirty pigs. He filled his trunk up with water and blew it onto the wild pigs. he mudwashed off of them. he pigs weren!t happy. hey snorted and grunted angrily and

ran off into the bushes. Ali laughed as they disappeared from his view.

As he followed the running pigs with his eyes, he noticed something darkolive green moving in the reeds. He climbed out of the river and moved towards thebank. He saw that it was a crocodile. $t was yawning and Ali saw its sharp, pointedteeth. 'arning bells went off inside his head. (rocodiles were dangerous. He stoodand watched with relief as the crocodile slipped silently into the water, slithering offinto the deep river.

Ali continued up the bank. He passed a flowering jacaranda tree and severaleucalyptus trees. He reached up and ripped a few leaves off both trees. He didn!t

like the taste of them. His tummy started to rumble. He was beginning to get hungry.'hat was he going to eat) He found a few acacia trees. He ate some of the leavesand enjoyed the taste. He ripped off some more and some more until there wasnone left on the empty branches. Ali was still hungry. He couldn!t see any moreacacia trees and wondered what he was going to eat now.

He stomped along the banks of the river a little further. here were severalhippos in the river, swimming around. He stopped and watched them for a littlewhile. &ome of them were eating vegetation off the bottom of the river. heir mouthsopened wide and their huge teeth looked dangerous. Ali didn!t think he!d like riverplants. He stuck his trunk down to the river bottom and yanked a few plants off. He

lifted them to his mouth and munched them down. He didn!t like them at all.

He walked on. All day long he looked for food but found nothing. hat nightwhen he lay down to sleep, his tummy growled and groaned with hunger.

he ne*t morning, after the sun had risen over the horizon, Ali was starving.His tummy was making loud hungry noises. He decided that even though it wasboring where he lived, at least he had food. He went down to the river and drank afew gallons of water, then headed back home. He found a few leaves to nibble onduring his journey.

$t took him all day to get there. he first thing he did was go to the biggestbaobab tree and rip some tender leaves off. +ummy; they were delicious. Hemunched and chomped until he was full. He looked around him. He smiled when hesaw the water buffalo at the water hole. here were no crocodiles and no hippos. He


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smiled when he saw the pride of lions and the hyenas. He was home, and heactually felt happy and content, and very glad to be back where he belonged.


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Be The Change

Be the change you want to be,

Be the change in all you see,Rather than wanting to make things new,Improve them by the things you do,

In lifes seas, ya going to drowned,I promis you can turn it round,

At every turn, a battle new,Hit it head on and see it through,Hiding your head wont help you out,Nor standing still to just let out a shout,

o for the life you want to see,Be the change you want to be!

Johnny Eardley


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58 stories for children

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