The Travellers and the Monk
One day a traveller was walking along a road on his journey from one village to another. As he walked he noticed a monk tending the ground in the fields beside the road. The monk said "Good day" to the traveller, and the traveller nodded to the monk.
The traveller then turned to the monk and said "Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a question?".
"Not at all," replied the monk.
"I am travelling from the village in the mountains to the village in the valley and I was wondering if you knew what it is like in the village in the valley?"
"Tell me," said the monk, "What was your experience of the village in the mountains?"
"Dreadful," replied the traveller, "to be honest I am glad to be away from there. I found the people most unwelcoming. When I first arrived I was greeted coldly. I was never made to feel part of the village no matter how hard I tried. The villagers keep very much to themselves, they don't take kindly to strangers. So tell me, what can I expect in the village in the valley?"
"I am sorry to tell you," said the monk, "but I think your experience will be much the same there".
The traveller hung his head despondently and walked on.
A while later another traveller was journeying down the same road and he also came upon the monk.
"I'm going to the village in the valley," said the second traveller, "Do you know what it is like?"
"I do," replied the monk "But first tell me - where have you come from?"
"I've come from the village in the mountains."
"And how was that?"
"It was a wonderful experience. I would have stayed if I could but I am committed to travelling on. I felt as though I was a member of the family in the village. The elders gave me much advice, the children laughed and joked with me and people were generally kind and generous. I am sad to have left there. It will always hold special memories for me. And what of the village in the valley?" he asked again.
"I think you will find it much the same" replied the monk, "Good day to you".
"Good day and thank you," the traveller replied, smiled, and journeyed on.
The Bath and the Bucket
The story illustrates lateral thinking, narrow-mindedness, the risks of making assumptions, and judging people and situations.
A mental health hospital arranged a visit for third parties involved in supporting its operations.
There were a number of visitors from different services. It gave them a chance to see how the hospital worked and what services they offered (outside of the specific support that they provided).
Part of the visit took the group around some of the communal facilities, a craft session, some sports activities and the Christmas choir practice.
Most of the visitors said how well they thought the hospital was being run, and that the patients looked like they were enjoying themselves and having fun. However, one visitor made some very insulting remarks about the patients. Although shocked no one said anything.
After the main facility tour, the visitors were introduced to various members of staff in the canteen and given the opportunity to ask them about their work and what they found rewarding.
The rude visitor chatted to one of the security staff, Bill, a kindly and wise ex-policeman. He continued to make derogatory comments and make fun of the patients.
"Are they all raving loonies in here then?" said the rude man.
"Only the ones who fail the test," said Bill.
"What's the test?" said the man.
"Well, we show them a bath full of water, a bucket, a jug and an egg-cup, and we ask them what's the quickest way to empty the bath," said Bill.
"Oh, I see,” replied the man, “it’s a simple test - any normal person knows it's the bucket, right?"
"No actually," said Bill, "The normal ones say pull out the plug. Should I check when there's a bed free for you?"
Two Brothers and the Geese
Two sons work for their father on the family's farm. The younger brother had for some years been given more responsibility and reward, and one day the older brother asks his father to explain why.
The father says, "First, go to the Kelly's farm and see if they have any geese for sale - we need to add to our stock."
The brother soon returns with the answer, "Yes they have five geese they can sell to us."
That father then says, "Good, please ask them the price."
The son returns with the answer, "The geese are £10 each."
The father says, "Good, now ask if they can deliver the geese tomorrow."
And duly the son returns with the answer, "Yes, they can deliver the geese tomorrow."
The father asks the older brother to wait and listen, and then calls to the younger brother in a nearby field, "Go to the Davidson's Farm and see if they have any geese for sale - we need to add to our stock."
The younger brother soon returns with the answer, "Yes, they have five geese for £10 each, or ten geese for £8 each; and they can deliver them tomorrow - I asked them to deliver the five unless they heard otherwise from us in the next hour. And I agreed that if we want the extra five geese, we could buy them at £6 each."
The father turned to the older son, who nodded his head in appreciation - he now realised why his brother was given more responsibility and reward.
A Very Old Lady
A very old lady looked in the mirror one morning. She had three remaining hairs on her head, and being a positive soul, she said,
"I think I'll braid my hair today." So, she braided her three hairs, and she had a great day.
Some days later, looking in the mirror one morning, preparing for her day, she saw that she had only two hairs remaining.
"Hmm, two hairs... I fancy a centre parting today." She duly parted her two hairs, and as ever, she had a great day.
A week or so later, she saw that she had just one hair left on her head.
"One hair huh...," she mused, "I know, a pony-tail will be perfect." And again she had a great day.
The next morning she looked in the mirror. She was completely bald.
"Finally bald huh," she said to herself,
"How wonderful! I won't have to waste time doing my hair anymore.."
The Anniversary Fairy
A story about Strategic alliances, tactical awareness, ageism, sexism, being careful about what you wish for and how you go about getting it!
A couple were dining out together celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. 💑
After the meal, the husband presented his wife romantically with a beautiful very old gold antique locket on a chain. 📿
Amazingly when his wife opened the locket, a tiny fairy appeared. 🧚♀️
Addressing the astonished couple, the fairy said,
"Your forty years of devotion to each other has released me from this locket, and in return I can now grant you both one wish each - anything you want." 😍
Without hesitating, the wife asked, "Please, can I travel to the four corners of the world with my husband, as happy and in love as we've always been?" 🗺
The fairy waved her wand with a flourish, and magically there on the table were two first-class tickets for a round-the-world holiday. 🎫 🎫
Staggered, the couple looked at each other, unable to believe their luck. 🍀
"Your turn," said the fairy and the wife to the husband.
The husband thought for a few seconds, and then said, with a little guilt in his voice,
"Forgive me, but to really enjoy that holiday of a lifetime - I yearn for a younger woman - so I wish that my wife could be thirty years younger than me." 🤸♀️
Shocked, the fairy glanced at the wife, and with a knowing look in her eye, waved her wand... 🎇
and the husband became ninety-three. 👴
The Gardener and His Business
Friday Fable - The gardener and His Business
A gardener ran a business that had been in the family for two or three generations. The staff were happy, and customers loved to visit the store, or to have the staff work on their gardens or make deliveries - anything from bedding plants to ride-on mowers.
For as long as anyone could remember, the current owner and previous generations of owners were extremely positive and happy people.
Most folk assumed it was because they ran a successful business.
In fact it was the other way around...
A tradition in the business was that the owner always wore a big lapel badge, saying Business Is Great!
The business was indeed generally great, although it went through tough times like any other. What never changed however was the owner's attitude, and the badge saying Business Is Great!
Everyone who saw the badge for the first time invariably asked, "What's so great about business?" Sometimes people would also comment that their own business was miserable, or even that they personally were miserable or stressed.
Anyhow, the Business Is Great! badge always tended to start a conversation, which typically involved the owner talking about lots of positive aspects of business and work, for example:
💥 The pleasure of meeting and talking with different people every day
💥 The reward that comes from helping staff take on new challenges and experiences
💥 The fun and laughter in a relaxed and healthy work environment
💥 The fascination in the work itself, and in the other people's work and businesses
💥 The great feeling when you finish a job and do it to the best of your capabilities
💥 The new things you learn every day - even without looking to do so
💥 And the thought that everyone in business is blessed - because there are many millions of people who would swap their own situation to have the same opportunities of doing a productive meaningful job, in a civilised well-fed country, where we have no real worries.
And so the list went on. And no matter how miserable a person was, they'd usually end up feeling a lot happier after just a couple of minutes listening to all this infectious enthusiasm and positivity.
It is impossible to quantify or measure attitude like this, but to one extent or another it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, on which point, if asked about the badge in a quiet moment, the business owner would confide:
"The badge came first. The great business followed."
Taken from www.businessballs
The Farmer and the Baker
Once upon a time, a farmer and a baker lived in the same small village.
They became friends and developed a good relationship. One day the baker asked the farmer for a daily supply of one pound of butter for his bakery. In return the baker would give the farmer a pound loaf each day.
One morning, after several weeks of getting his pound of butter from the farmer; the baker suspected that the farmer was cheating him and that he wasn’t giving him the full pound of butter. He decided to weigh the butter to check whether he was receiving the correct amount.
When he weighed the butter, the farmer had supplied him with that day his suspicions were confirmed. The farmer had supplied him with less butter than they’d agreed. Angry about the unfairness, he decided to file a complaint against the farmer and took him to court.
At the hearing the judge asked the farmer whether he was indeed reducing the amount of butter supplied to the baker. The farmer answered that he was not aware of taking any action deliberately.
The judge asked the farmer how he measured out the butter. He replied “Your honour, I am but a lowly farmer and do not own a proper measure. I simply use an old-fashioned balance,” he replied.
“What do you use to balance out the pound of butter?” enquired the judge. The farmer replied, “Your honour, as the baker supplies me with a pound loaf each day, I use that. I put it on the scale and then balance out the same weight in butter to supply him in return. If the amount of butter I have been giving him is less than a pound, then it means the loaf he gives me as part of our agreement is also less than a pound.”
The judge determined that the farmer had no complaint to answer, as the reduced measure of butter was a direct result of the baker’s own actions to give less than agreed.
You can’t expect people to treat you with integrity, if you don’t have any yourself!!
The Ants and the Honey
A group of ants were investigating a store cupboard one day when they came across a jar of spilled honey.
Excited about the marvellous find, most of them waded in to enjoy its sweetness, and eat as much as they could.
One ant however, stood at the edge of the pool of honey, and ate just enough to satisfy herself. She then went off to see if she could find anything to take back to the nest.
A while later she returned, to find her comrades still standing in the honey. All were moaning and wailing. “Help, we are stuck, we were too greedy and thoughtless, now our fragile legs are stuck and we can’t escape.”
“I cannot help you without putting myself in danger, and with you all stuck here I need to take food back to the nest for others.”
When you encounter abundance take care not to overindulge and become thoughtless of others.
The Four Oxen and the Lion
Once there were four oxen, who became strong friends. When in the open field they always kept close to each other and fed together.
A lion often saw them and had a mind to make one his prey. He could easily have subdued any one of them singly. However, as soon as the oxen spotted him, they would group together in such a way that their tails were touching and their heads faced outwards, like the points on a compass. This meant that whichever way the lion approached he was faced with horns, and it was too difficult for him to make an attack.
The lion realised that his plans were useless whilst the group held strong, so by whispers and hints he set doubts and arguments among the four. This strategy worked well, the oxen grew cold and reserved towards each other, and eventually this turned to hatred and aversion which resulted in them taking up solitary positions in each corner of the field.
Now the lion could successfully strike - it had been impossible for him to hurt the oxen whilst they were united, but now divided he was able to capture all four.
When we collaborate, we are strong, and the results are better than if we work to the same end independently. ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’ as the saying goes, but keeping the team strong takes continuous effort, beware the motives of those who try to break up a successful team.
The Bird Catcher and the Viper
A bird catcher collected all his equipment and went into the country to see what he could catch.
After a short while he spotted a thrush sitting high up in a tree, singing a beautiful song.
“I must have that creature,” the bird catcher said to himself.
He kept a close eye on the bird, whilst preparing his nets and contraptions. His whole concentration was on the thrush.
As he was making his final preparations he trod on a viper, sleeping peacefully in the undergrowth.
The snake, annoyed at being trodden on and woken, bit the bird catcher. As the poison took effect the bird catcher lamented “Woe is me! That while I purposed to hunt another, I am myself fallen unawares”.
Be careful not to concentrate too long on one thing, to the exclusion of all others.
The Ass and the Purchaser
A Man who wanted to buy an Ass went to market.
Coming across a likely-looking beast he arranged with the owner that he should be allowed to take the ass home on trial to see what he was like.
When the man reached home, he put the ass into his stable along with his other asses.
The newcomer took a look round, and immediately went and chose a place next to the laziest and greediest beast in the stable.
When the master saw this he put a halter on him at once, and led him off and handed him back to his owner again.
The latter was surprised to see him back so soon, and said, “Why, do you mean to say you have tested him already?”
“I don’t want to put him through any more tests,” replied the other: “I could see what sort of beast he is from the companion he chose for himself.”
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
A Town Mouse went on a visit to his friend in the country.
The Country Mouse was rough and ready, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. He laid out a meal of beans and bacon, cheese and bread, which was all he had to offer, but he was glad to offer them to his friend.
The Town Mouse nibbled a bit here and a bit there but didn’t think much of the country fare, and said:
“Why do you put up with such poor food as this? Is this the best the country has to offer? Come you with me and I will show you what grand food I have, and what a life I lead. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life.”
No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse’s residence late at night.
“You will want some refreshment after our long journey,” said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice.
Suddenly the doors of the dining-room flew open and the house dogs ran in. The two mice had to race quickly to the safety of a mousehole.
After a while the mice resumed their feast. No sooner had they started nibbling at the lovely food than the door to the dining room gently opened and they heard the mewing of the family cat. “What is that?” said the Country Mouse. “It is the cat, come to try and catch me.” answered the other.
Again, they had to flee to the safety of the mousehole.
“Good-bye, friend,” said the Country Mouse, “What! going so soon?” said the Town Mouse. “Yes,” he replied; “Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.”
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Before making any changes check that the sacrifices you have to make are worth it.
Mercury and the Woodsman
A woodsman, felling wood by the side of a river, let his axe drop by accident into a deep pool. Being thus deprived of the means of his livelihood, he sat down on the bank and lamented his bad luck.
Mercury appeared and asked him why he was upset. After the woodsman told him his misfortune, Mercury plunged into the stream, and, bringing up a golden axe, inquired if that was the one he had lost.
"No" said the woodsman, "that is not mine"
So Mercury disappeared beneath the water a second time and returned with a silver axe in his hand. Again asked the woodsman if it were his.
"No" said the woodsman, "that is not mine"
When Mercury dived into the pool for the third time and brought up the axe that had been lost.
"Yes!" cried the woodsman, "that is my axe." He thanked Mercury profusely for his help.
Mercury, pleased with his honesty, gave the woodsman the golden and silver axes in addition to his own.
The Workman, on his return to his house, related to his companions all that had happened. One of them resolved to try and secure the same good fortune for himself.
He ran to the river and threw his axe on purpose into the pool at the same place, and sat down on the bank to weep.
Mercury appeared to him, just as he hoped he would, and having learned the cause of his grief, plunged into the stream and brought up a golden axe, inquiring if he had lost it.
The man seized it greedily, and declared that truly it was the very same axe that he had lost.
Mercury, displeased at his deception, not only took away the golden axe, but refused to recover for him the axe he had thrown into the pool.
Wherever possible honesty is the best policy, but also deception will generally be found out and won't achieve your aim.
The Fox and the Crow
One bright morning as the Fox was following his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite to eat, he saw a Crow on the limb of a tree overhead. This was by no means the first Crow the Fox had ever seen. What caught his attention this time and made him stop for a second look, was that the lucky Crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.
“No need to search any farther,” thought sly Master Fox. “Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast.”
Up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the Crow was sitting, and looking up admiringly, he cried, “Good-morning, beautiful creature!”
The Crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the Fox suspiciously. But she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.
“What a charming creature she is!” said the Fox. “How her feathers shine! What a beautiful form and what splendid wings! Such a wonderful Bird should have a very lovely voice, since everything else about her is so perfect. Could she sing just one song, I know I should hail her Queen of Birds.”
Listening to these flattering words, the Crow forgot all her suspicion, and also her breakfast. She wanted very much to be called Queen of Birds. So she opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw, and down fell the cheese straight into the Fox’s open mouth.
“Thank you,” said Master Fox sweetly, as he walked off. “Though it is cracked, you have a voice sure enough. But where are your wits?”
The Ant and the Dove
An ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and
being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of
drowning. A Dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked
a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The Ant
climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly
afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, and laid
his lime-twigs for the Dove, which sat in the branches. The Ant,
perceiving his design, stung him in the foot. In pain the
birdcatcher threw down the twigs, and the noise made the Dove
take wing.
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
One cold stormy day a Goatherd drove his Goats for shelter into a cave, where a number of Wild Goats had also found their way. The Shepherd wanted to make the Wild Goats part of his flock; so he fed them well.
But to his own flock, he gave only just enough food to keep them alive. When the weather cleared, and the Shepherd led the Goats out to feed, the Wild Goats scampered off to the hills.
“Is that the thanks I get for feeding you and treating you so well?” complained the Shepherd.
“Do not expect us to join your flock,” replied one of the Wild Goats. “We've seen how you treat your faithful heard, and we don't want any part of it.”
Make sure you look after those already supporting you, if you treat them poorly it will reflect badly on you.
The Cat and the Fox
Once a Cat and a Fox were travelling together. As they went along, picking up provisions on the way — a stray mouse here, a fat chicken there — they began exchanging stories about times they’d escaped hunters to while away the time. And, as sometimes happens when friends talk, it turned into an argument and the talk began to get personal.
“You think you are extremely clever, don’t you?” said the Fox. “I’m much cleverer than you - I have many escape tricks at hand!”
“Well,” retorted the Cat, “I have only one, but it is, let me tell you, worth all yours combined!”
Just then, close by, they heard a hunter’s horn and the yelping of a pack of hounds. In an instant the Cat was up a tree, hiding among the leaves.
“This is my trick,” the Cat called to the Fox. “Now let me see which one of yours you are going to use.”
But the Fox had so many plans for escape he could not decide which one to try first. He dodged here and there with the hounds at his heels. He doubled on his tracks, he ran at top speed, he entered a dozen burrows — but all in vain. The hounds caught him, and soon put an end to the boaster and all his tricks.
Use common sense, and keep your plans simple and effective.
The Ass in the Lion’s Skin
An Ass found a Lion’s skin left in the forest by a hunter. He dressed himself in it, and amused himself by hiding in a thicket and rushing out suddenly at the animals who passed that way. All took to their heels the moment they saw him.
The Ass was so pleased to see the animals running away from him, just as if he were King Lion himself, that he could not keep from expressing his delight by a loud, harsh bray. A Fox, who ran with the rest, stopped short as soon as he heard the voice. Approaching the Ass, he said with a laugh:
“If you had kept your mouth shut you might have frightened me, too. But you gave yourself away with that silly bray.”
You can pretend to be something you are not for a while, but sooner or later you will give yourself away - always stay true to yourself.
The Lark and Her Young Ones
A Lark made her nest in a field of young wheat. As the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the young birds, too, grew in strength. Then one day, when the ripe golden grain waved in the breeze, the Farmer and his son came into the field.
“This wheat is now ready for reaping,” said the Farmer. “We must call in our neighbours and friends to help us harvest it.”
A couple of young Larks were very afraid, because they knew that if they didn’t leave their nest in time, they’d be in big trouble. When their mother came back with food, they told her what they had heard.
“Do not be frightened, children,” said Mother Lark. “If the Farmer said he would call in his neighbours and friends to help him do his work, this wheat will not be reaped for a while yet.”
A few days later, the wheat was so ripe, that when the wind shook the stalks, a hail of wheat grains came rustling down on the young Larks’ heads.
“If this wheat is not harvested at once,” said the Farmer, “we shall lose half the crop. We cannot wait any longer for help from our friends. Tomorrow we must set to work, ourselves.”
When the young Larks told their mother what they had heard that day, she said:
“Then we have to leave right away. It is safe to say that when a man decides to do his own work and not get help from anyone else, there will be no more delays.”
When the Farmer and his son cut down the grain the next morning, they found an empty nest.
The Traveller and the Purse
Two men were travelling along the road when one of them picked up a well-filled purse.
“How lucky I am!” he said. “I have found a purse. Judging by its weight it must be full of gold.”
“Do not say ‘I have found a purse,'” said his companion. “Say rather ‘we have found a purse’ and ‘how lucky we are.’ Travellers ought to share alike the fortunes or misfortunes of the road.”
“No, no,” replied the other angrily. “I found it and I am going to keep it.”
Just then they heard a shout of “Stop, thief!” and looking around, saw a mob of people armed with clubs coming down the road.
The man who had found the purse fell into a panic.
“We are lost if they find the purse on us,” he cried.
“No, no,” replied the other, “You would not say ‘we’ before, so now stick to your ‘I’. Say ‘I am lost.'”
If you’re going to be selfish, don’t expect people to help you when you need them.