The Plane Tree
Two Travellers, walking in the noonday sun, sought the shade of a
widespreading tree to rest. As they lay looking up among the
pleasant leaves, they saw that it was a Plane Tree.
"How useless is the Plane!" said one of them. "It bears no fruit
whatever, and only serves to litter the ground with leaves."
"Ungrateful creatures!" said a voice from the Plane Tree. "You lie
here in my cooling shade, and yet you say I am useless! Thus
ungratefully, O Jupiter, do men receive their blessings!"
Our best blessings are often the least appreciated.
The Bundle of Sticks
A certain Father had a family of Sons, who were forever quarreling
among themselves. No words he could say did the least good, so he
cast about in his mind for some very striking example that should
make them see that discord would lead them to misfortune.
One day when the quarreling had been much more violent than usual
and each of the Sons was moping in a surly manner, he asked one of
them to bring him a bundle of sticks. Then handing the bundle to
each of his Sons in turn he told them to try to break it. But
although each one tried his best, none was able to do so.
The Father then untied the bundle and gave the sticks to his Sons to
break one by one. This they did very easily.
"My Sons," said the Father, "do you not see how certain it is that
if you agree with each other and help each other, it will be
impossible for your enemies to injure you? But if you are divided
among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a single stick in
that bundle."
In unity is strength.
The Farmers and his Sons
A rich old farmer, who felt that he had not many more days to live,
called his sons to his bedside.
"My sons," he said, "heed what I have to say to you. Do not on any
account part with the estate that has belonged to our family for so
many generations. Somewhere on it is hidden a rich treasure. I do
not know the exact spot, but it is there, and you will surely find
it. Spare no energy and leave no spot unturned in your search."
The father died, and no sooner was he in his grave than the sons set
to work digging with all their might, turning up every foot of
ground with their spades, and going over the whole farm two or three
times.
No hidden gold did they find; but at harvest time when they had
settled their accounts and had pocketed a rich profit far greater
than that of any of their neighbors, they understood that the
treasure their father had told them about was the wealth of a
bountiful crop, and that in their industry had they found the
treasure.
Industry is itself a treasure.
