Life Lessions

1. The Honest Woodcutter

One day, a poor woodcutter was chopping wood near a river when his axe slipped and fell into the water. He was very upset, as the axe was his only tool. The river god appeared and asked him why he was sad. The woodcutter explained what had happened, so the river god dove into the water and brought up a golden axe. The woodcutter said, "That’s not mine!" The river god then brought up a silver axe, but the woodcutter said, “That’s not mine either.” Finally, the river god brought up the woodcutter’s old iron axe. The woodcutter was happy and thanked the god. Impressed by the woodcutter’s honesty, the river god rewarded him with the golden and silver axes as well. The lesson: Always be honest, and good things will come your way.

2. The Giving Tree

Once upon a time, there was a tree that loved a little boy. The boy would come and play around the tree every day. As the boy grew older, he needed more and more things. The tree gave him its branches to build a house, its trunk to make a boat, and its apples to sell for money. Finally, when the boy was old and tired, the tree had nothing left to give. But the tree said, "I’m sorry, I have no more to give." The old man replied, "All I need now is a quiet place to rest." The tree, now just a stump, offered its seat. The lesson: True love is about giving without expecting anything in return.

3. The Wise Old Owl

A young bird asked a wise owl how to be as smart as he was. The owl replied, "You must be patient and learn from every experience." The bird didn't understand and said, "But I want to know everything now!" The owl smiled and said, "Knowledge comes over time, not all at once." The bird flew around quickly, trying to gather as much information as possible, but it soon became tired and confused. Then, it sat quietly, observing the world around it. Slowly, the bird began to understand the wisdom in the owl's words. The lesson: Patience and observation are keys to gaining wisdom.