C.R.I. – E.V.H. n°1 April 2005
Part 1
If someone want to translate the French texts he or she will be welcome.
Suggestion :
Afin d’en retirer la quintessence, après la lecture de chaque petite histoire nous vous suggérons de pratiquer pendant 2 à 3 minutes, ce que l’on peut appeler « l’assise silencieuse » :
Vous fermez les yeux,Centrez vous sur votre respiration, l’inspiration, l’expiration…
Prenez contact avec votre « Moi Profond, » Laissez venir à vous les informations.
Peu à peu vous réaliserez que la compréhension des Valeurs Humaines se fait de mieux en mieux et vous ressentirez de plus en plus la présence de votre « SOI » qui est toujours là pour vous conseiller et vous guider ; il faut simplement apprendre à l’entendre dans notre Silence Intérieur.
Règles pour être humain
1) Un corps t’a été donné. Tu peux l’aimer ou le détester, mais ce sera le tiens pour la durée de cette vie.
2) Tu vas apprendre des leçons. Tu es inscrit dans une école à plein temps appelée « Vie ». Chaque jour tu auras l’occasion d’apprendre. Tu pourras aimer tes leçons, ou les détester, cela dépend de toi .
3) Il n’y a pas de fautes seulement, seulement de leçons. La croissance est un processus d’essai et d’erreur, d’expérimentation. Les expériences « ratées » font autant partie du processus que celles qui réussissent.
4) Une leçon sera répétée sous diverses formes jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit apprise. Quand tu l’auras apprise, tu pourras passer à la leçon suivante.
5) Apprendre des leçons ne finit jamais. Si tu es en vie, c’est que tu as des leçons à apprendre.
6) Ce que tu détestes ou aimes chez les autres est le reflet de ce que tu détestes ou aimes chez TOI.Les autres sont essentiellement des miroirs de toi-même.
7) Ce que tu fais de ta« Vie » dépend de toi. Tu as tous les outils, toutes les ressources dont tu as besoin. Le choix t’appartient.
8) Tes réponses sont en toi. Les réponses aux questions de la « Vie » sont en toi. Tout ce qu’il te faut, c’est regarder, écouter et faireconfiance.
9) A mesure que tu t’ouvre à cette confiance, tu te souviendras de plus en plus de tout ceci.
Auteur inconnu
Triple Filter Test
One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher Socrates and said: “Do you know what I just heart about your friend ?”
"Hold on a minute” Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I would like you to pass a little test. It is called the Triple Filter test.”
"Triple Filter?"
"That is right.” Socrates continued: “Before you talk to me about myfriend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you are going to say.
That is why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is `Truth'.
Have you made absolutely certain that what you are about to tell me is true?”
"No." the man said: "actually I just heard about it."
"All right.” Said Socrates: “ So you don’t really know if it is true or not.
Now let us try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So!" Socrates continued: "You want to tell me something bad about him but you are not certain it is true.
Youmay still pass the test because there is one left, the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, no I really".
“Well!'' concluded Socrates: "If what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
Let us use the triple filter test each time we hear loose talk aboutany of our near and dear ones.
Sounds of silence :
Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out.
The first monk said: “Oh, no the candle is out.”
The second monk said: “Aren’t we not suppose to talk?”
The third monk said: “ Why must you two break the silence?”
The fourth monk laughed and said: “Ha! I’m the only one who didn’t speak.”
The parable about a frog
A frog lived in a well. It was born and brought up there. It had not gone anywhere outside the well. One day, another frog that lived in the pond, happened to fall into the well.
The frog of the well asked the new comer: “Where are you come from?”
The frog of the pond replied: “I am from the pond.”
The frog of the well questioned: “The pond! How is the pond?”
The other frog replied: “It is very big. »
The frog of the well stretched its legs and asked: “Is your pond so big?”
“It is much bigger” Said the other
The frog of the well then took a leap from one side and asked: “ Is it as big as this, my well?”
The frog of the pond replied: ”My friend, the pond can never be compared with your well. It is extremely big.
The frog of well got angry, it said: “How are you speak so aboutmy well.”
Do you like this story?
Take care that you don’t become a frog of the well, when you grow up. Keep an open mind.
Good and bad, happiness and sorrow, which appear to be different and opposite, are in reality two faces of the same coin.
The baker and the farmer
A Baker in a little country town bought the butter he used from a nearby farmer.
One day he suspected that the bricks of butter were not full pounds, and for several days he weighed them.
He was right. They were short weight, and he had the farmer arrested. At the trial the judge said to the farmer: "I presume you have scales?"
"No, your honour."
"Then how do you manage to weigh the butter you sell?" inquired the judge.
The farmer replied, "That's easily explained, your honour. I have balances and for a weight l use a one pound loaf I buy from the baker."
Action, résonance, réaction.
Tôt ou tard on récolte toujours ce que l’on sème.
Chaque jour bien vécu, fait d’hier un rêve de joie et de chaque lendemain une vision d’espoir.
Réalisez ceci, seul aujourd’hui est la vie.
Sagesse indienne
Un vieil Indien Cherokee racontait la vie à ses petits-enfants...
Il leur dit : " Je ressens un grand tourment.
Dans mon âme se joue présentement une grande bataille.
Deux loups se confrontent.
Un des loups est méchant: il "est" la peur, la colère, l'envie, la peine, les regrets, l'avidité, l'arrogance, l'apitoiement, la culpabilité, les ressentiments, l'infériorité, le mensonge, la compétition, l'orgueil.
L'autre est bon: il "est" la joie, la paix, l'amour, l'espoir, le partage, la générosité, la vérité, la compassion, la confiance.
La même bataille se joue présentement en vous, en chacun de nous, en fait.
Silencieux, les enfants réfléchissaient...
Puis l'un d'eux dit :
" Grand-papa, lequel des loups va gagner " ?
Le vieux Cherokee répondit simplement :
" Celui que tu nourris".
Empty your cup
A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master.
While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself.
“It’s overfull! No more will go in!” The professor blurted.
“You are like this cup”. The professor replied: “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup!”
Money… Money…
**It can by a house…
but not a home.
**It can by a bed…
but not sleep.
**It can by a clock…
but not time.
**It can by a book…
but not knowledge.
**It can by a position…
but not respect.
**It can by a medicine…
but not health.
**It can by blood…
but not life.
If there are no two periods of pain, there will be no experience of pleasure, for pleasure is only an interval between two pains.
A SPECIAL FRIEND
Janice was one of the best students in her class. She went to school everyday and received high marks in her work. She played the flute in the school band and never missed a practice. Janice was very popular and had many friends.
At the weekend, the girls took turns having sleep-over parties at their houses. Sometimes their mothers took the group of friends out for pizzas, and occasionally to the movies. They had many fun times together.
School had just begun for the New Year. Janice and her friends were just beginning in the 5th form. On the first day back at school, Janice was aware that there was a new girl in her class. "This girl must have just moved to our town. I wonder where she lives?" Janice thought.
As she watched her, Janice noticed that the girl walked with a very noticeable limp. She was very quiet and kept herself to herself. Everyone seemed awkward about approaching her; no-one was willing to speak to her.
At lunch time, when Janice was with her friends, they began whispering about this person they didn't know. Their voices got louder and louder until at last Megan said, "Look at that new girl. She must be retarded."
Some of the group giggled and then Cindy responded, "Yeah, she looks really weird, kind of creepy."
Ashley grimaced. "Maybe there is something wrong with her whole family. I don't want to hang around with her, and I don't want her to be part of our group."
"Right, yeah!" the girls all agreed that the new girl could not be accepted as part of their group.
Janice felt uncomfortable with the decision. She thought that perhaps they were all being too harsh. The next day at school, the children all came into the classroom. Janice's friend Megan sat at her desk and stuck her foot out into the aisle just as the new girl, Sarah, came limping past. Sarah tripped on Megan's foot and came crashing to the ground between the desks.
Janice watched from the other side of the room as no one got up to assist Sarah. Sarah slowly pulled herself up to her feet and stumbled to her desk with tears in her eyes. She sat down without saying a word.
Sarah's teacher walked rapidly over to Sarah's desk, and asked "Sarah, are you all right? Are you injured at all?"
Sarah, biting her lip and without looking up said very quietly, "No I'm okay, thank you, miss." And the teacher continued to explain what she had been teaching.
At lunch time in the cafeteria, Janice's friends once again made rude and critical comments about Sarah, this time using slightly louder voices. Janice was becoming more and more uncomfortable about the situation. Sarah was sitting all alone at a table which was close enough for her to hear. As the negative comments from the girls continued, Sarah slowly got up from where she was sitting and walked out of the cafeteria looking very unhappy.
The unkind behaviour of the group continued for the next couple of days. At the end of the week the girls were planning a sleep over party for Friday night at Megan's house. Janice had been looking forward to it. They usually stayed up playing all kinds of games and eating crisps. Sometimes they watched a video. There was always a lot of fun and laughter. But now she wasn't sure if she wanted to go. She was feeling sad about the way the group were treating this new girl who they hadn't taken the time to get to know at all.
All of a sudden Janice knew what she should do. The next morning she arrived at school earlier than usual. She waited in front of the school until she saw Sarah walking towards the school. She appeared to be walking slower than usual. Her head and shoulders were slumped in a dejected manner.
As Sarah got closer, Janice walked over to meet her. Janice stepped up to Sarah who momentarily looked startled, and said, "Hi, I'm Janice. I'm in your class."
"Yes, I've seen you. I'm Sarah," came the reply in a slurred voice.
"Can I walk into class with you?" asked Janice.
"Well yes, if you want to," said Sarah with hesitation in her voice.
As they began to walk together Janice said gently, "I know some of the girls have been hurtful in what they've said and done. I feel really sorry that you've been treated that way. I saw you sitting by yourself at lunch. Can I sit with you at lunch today?" As she spoke, Janice noticed that Sarah had beautiful blue eyes.
Sarah stopped and looked into Janice's face. "Yes," she replied smiling. "That would be nice. I'll save you a seat."
Janice had never seen Sarah smile before and she felt a glow of satisfaction inside.
At lunch time Megan came over and ignoring Sarah said to Janice, "Janice what are you doing sitting over here? I thought you were going to eat with us. We're your friends."
"I'm eating with my new friend," Janice replied. "But we'd be happy for you to join us, wouldn't we, Sarah?" Without replying, Megan just turned around and walked away.
After school, Janice and Sarah walked home together. Shortly after Janice arrived home the phone began to ring. Each of her other friends called wondering what she was doing with the new girl who was so strange.
"Sarah's not strange. She has cerebral palsy. Her brain didn't get enough oxygen when she was born. She can't change the way she looks or talks, but she is a very nice person. She likes the same things that we do. She listens to a wide range of music. She's really fun to talk to. She likes sleep over parties and pizzas and games. And she needed to have a friend. I can introduce her to you if you want." Janice told them.
On Friday morning on her way to school Janice met up with Sarah again. They walked to school together and agreed to meet in the cafeteria for lunch.
As Janice and Sarah were eating together one by one the other girls joined them. Janice introduced each one to Sarah. They all had a great lunch together, talking and laughing. After school, Megan saw Sarah leaving and ran up to her. "I'm having a sleep over party at my house tonight. Would you like to come? It starts at 6.30. If you would, ask your mum if you can and I'll get my mum to ring to let her know what we'll be doing."
Sarah looked at Megan with a smile. "That would be great. Thanks for inviting me."
Questions:
1. What name shall we give this story?
2. What did Janice and her friends like to do for fun?
3. What good values and qualities did Janice have?
4. Why did Janice's friends make fun of Sarah?
5. Why didn't Janice like the way her friends were treating Sarah?
6. What did Janice decide to do?
7. What did Janice's friends decide about Sarah?
8. How did you feel when you heard this story?
9. What does this story mean to you?
Group Activity
Divide children into groups of four. Each child is to speak to everyone in the group, one at a time, and tell them something positive about that person.
Examples:- "You have very pretty eyes."
"You are kind to others".
Les gros cailloux
Un jour, un vieux professeur de l'École nationale d'administration publique (ENAP) fut engagé pour donner une formation sur la planification efficace de son temps à un groupe d'une dizaine de dirigeants de grosses compagnies nord-américaines. Ce cours constituait l'un des cinq ateliers de leur journée de formation. Le vieux professeur n'avait donc qu'une heure pour "passer sa matière".
Debout, devant ce groupe d'élite (qui était prêt à noter tout ce que l'expert allait enseigner), le vieux professeur les regarda un par un lentement, puis leur dit: "Nous allons réaliser une expérience".
De dessous la table qui le séparait de ses élèves, le vieux prof sortit un immense pot Masson d'un gallon (pot de verre de plus de 4 litres) qu'il posa délicatement en face de lui. Ensuite, il sortit environ une douzaine de cailloux à peu près gros comme des balles de tennis et les plaça délicatement, un par un, dans le grand pot. Lorsque le pot fut rempli jusqu'au bord et qu'il fut impossible d'y ajouter un caillou de plus, il leva lentement les yeux vers ses élèves et leur demanda: "Est-ce que ce pot est plein?".
Tous répondirent: "Oui". Il attendit quelques secondes et ajouta: "Vraiment?".
Alors, il se pencha de nouveau et sortit de sous la table un récipient rempli de gravier. Avec minutie, il versa ce gravier sur les gros cailloux puis brassa légèrement le pot. Les morceaux de gravier s'infiltrèrent entre les cailloux... jusqu'au fond du pot. Le vieux professeur leva à nouveau les yeux vers son auditoire et redemanda: "Est-ce que ce pot est plein?".
Cette fois, ses brillants élèves commençaient à comprendre son manège. L'un d'eux répondit: "Probablement pas!". "Bien!" répondit le vieux professeur.
Il se pencha de nouveau et cette fois, sortit de sous la table un seau de sable. Avec attention, il versa le sable dans le pot. Le sable alla remplir les espaces entre les gros cailloux et le gravier. Encore une fois, il demanda: "Est-ce que ce pot est plein?".
Cette fois, sans hésiter et en chœur, les brillants élèves répondirent: "Non!". "Bien!" répondit le vieux professeur.
Et comme s'y attendaient ses prestigieux élèves, il prit le pichet d'eau qui était sur la table et remplit le pot jusqu'à ras bord.
Le vieux professeur leva alors les yeux vers son groupe et demanda: "Quelle grande vérité nous démontre cette expérience?"
Pas fou, le plus audacieux des élèves, songeant au sujet de ce cours, répondit: "Cela démontre que même lorsque l'on croit que notre agenda est complètement rempli, si on le veut vraiment, on peut y ajouter plus de rendez-vous, plus de choses à faire".
"Non" répondit le vieux professeur. "Ce n'est pas cela. La grande vérité que nous démontre cette expérience est la suivante: si on ne met pas les gros cailloux en premier dans le pot, on ne pourra jamais les faire entrer tous, ensuite". Il y eu un profond silence, chacun prenant conscience de l'évidence de ces propos.
Le vieux professeur leur dit alors: "Quels sont les gros cailloux dans votre vie?"
"Votre santé?" "Votre famille?" "Vos ami(e)s?" "Réaliser vos rêves?" "Faire ce que vous aimez?" "Apprendre?" "Défendre une cause?" "Relaxer?" "Prendre le temps....?" "Ou... toute autre chose?"
"Ce qu'il faut retenir, c'est l'importance de mettre ses GROS CAILLOUX en premier dans sa vie, sinon on risque de ne pas réussir... sa vie. Si on donne la priorité aux peccadilles (le gravier, le sable), on remplira sa vie de peccadilles et on n'aura plus suffisamment de temps précieux à consacrer aux éléments importants de sa vie.
Alors n'oubliez pas de vous poser à vous-même la question: "Quels sont les GROS CAILLOUX dans ma vie?"
Ensuite, mettez-les en premier dans votre pot (vie)"
D'un geste amical de la main, le vieux professeur salua son auditoire et lentement quitta la salle
How the Elephant Got His Trunk
An African Fairy Tale
Long, long ago there lived a little elephant named Tembo. He looked just like all the other elephants. He was grey with big ears, four thick legs, a short tail and a stumpy nose. At that time elephants didn't have a long trunk. They just had a short stumpy nose!
But Tembo was different in one way - he was an extremely curious elephant. He always wanted to know everything. The whole day he was asking questions.
One day Tembo went to see his Uncle Pavian, the monkey who was sitting on a palm tree eating coconuts. "Hello, Uncle Pavian," Tembo shouted. "What does the crocodile eat for dinner?"
"Oh, you do annoy me so with all of your questions." Uncle Pavian said in a tired voice.
"I just want to know what the crocodile eats for dinner," Tembo persisted.
Pavian didn't answer, but suddenly threw a coconut at Tembo's head.
"Ouch!" Tembo cried, rubbing his head sadly. "No one wants to tell me what the crocodile eats for dinner." Suddenly he had an idea. "I'll go to visit the crocodile myself and then I can ask him personally."
Tembo ran into the jungle to find the Great Rriver. He plodded along for hours until he realised he was lost. There was no one about, except the birds singing high up in the trees. Tembo felt very lonely and was getting quite frightened. But he kept going because he wanted to find out the answer to his question. At last he met a snake. Thankful to find someone to ask the way, Tembo said politely, "Excuse me, Miss Snake, could you tell me where I can find the Great River?"
Miss Snake hissed back, "Sssss … Can't you see that I am sleeping. The river is just there - right ahead."
Tembo ran through the bushes and there in front of him he saw the Great River. He ran joyfully and stood on the bank gazing into its deep water. Then he saw something which really did frighten him - a long green head with a jaw full of sharp white teeth.
Tembo's knees knocked together at the sight of it. Pulling himself as upright as he could, he took a step forward and asked very politely, "Excuse me, Sir, do you know where I can find the crocodile?"
"Yes," the green mouth replied, opening very wide. "It is straight in front of you. I am the crocodile."
Tembo was even more frightened, but he wanted to know the answer to his question, so he asked bravely. "I just wanted to ask what you eat for dinner, Sir."
The crocodile laughed wickedly and swam closer to Tembo. "Well, I can tell you, but you have to come a bit closer. I don't want anyone else to hear. Come, a bit closer … a little bit more … closer still … Not everybody needs to know … that I'll eat a little elephant for dinner today!"
What do you think happened? The crocodile caught Tembo's stumpy nose and held on to it with his sharp teeth. Tembo tried to pull himself away, but the crocodile pulled back. Tembo pulled and the crocodile pulled. The big crocodile was stronger than little Tembo.
Luckily Miss Snake heard Tembo's painful whimpering and came in time to help the little elephant. Miss Snake wound herself around Tembo's tummy and held onto a tree. The crocodile pulled. Tembo and the snake pulled … harder and harder …
Suddenly the crocodile let go and swam away with an angry face. Tembo was free. He jumped for joy … until he saw his reflection in the water. Tembo's stumpy nose had grown into a long, long nose, like a tree trunk.
Tembo burst into tears. "I can never go home like this. Everyone will laugh at me!"
The snake looked at his nose closely. "You will be able to do so many things with this trunk of a nose," she said kindly. "You will be able to pick leaves high up in the tree. You will be able to shower water over your back. You will be able to lift heavy things and you will be able to trumpet with your trunk. This trunk is much more practical than a little stumpy nose."
Tembo went home with a smile on his face. The other elephants laughed when they saw him, but as Tembo showed them what he could do with his trunk, they all wanted to have one too.
The next day all the elephants went into the jungle to the Great River. One after the other they called to the crocodile which caught them by their short stumpy noses. By the evening each of the elephants had a long trunk. They were all happy as they tried out their trunks
Questions:
1. Who was Tembo?
2. How were elephants different in those days from how they are now?
3. What did the crocodile try to do to Tembo?
4. How did the crocodile help in the end?
5. What good qualities did Tembo have?
6. Why was Uncle Pavian cross?
7. What good qualities did Miss Snake have?
Each today ,well lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and
each tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life.
La peau de banane et le bon citoyen
Il était une fois une peau de banane qui traînait par terre, au beau milieu d’un trottoir. Tout le monde sait qu’une peau de banane sur le sol représente un danger, si l’on marche dessus sans la voir, on peut glisser,tomber, se faire très mal ou même une fracture.
Quatre petits garçons vont passer devant, quel est celui d’après vous qui agira en bon citoyen ?
Le premier passe et la regarde avec indifférence.
Le deuxième passe en chantonnant et fait semblant de ne pas la voir.
Le troisième la remarque et dit à son camarade « C’est dangereux cette peau de banane, ramasse-la »
Le quatrième la ramasse sans rien dire et la jette à la poubelle.
Lequel de ces enfants est-tu ?
WHAT IS TRUE WEALTH?
THE STORY OF LANGARROW
(A Comish Legend)
Many hundreds of years ago, on the north coast of Cornwall, there was a little town called Langarrow. It lay in a privileged position in a sheltered valley with its own little harbour and wide sandy beach. The soil was good and the climate gentle. It was a place of peace and great beauty, and the people rose early each day and lived good and healthy lives. Before the time when the first rays of dawn sun shot its red and golden arrows across the sky, families were up, washed and dressed, had said their morning prayers together and each was ready for the day and work in the fields, garden, house or school.
They sometimes visited neighbours in the villages high up on the moors or in narrow rock coves, taking fruit and vegetables from their abundant crops. Most of the villagers were grateful for their thoughtfulness, but some were envious of the happy townsfolk whose gardens were so green.
One day, strangers carne to Langarrow and, to the consternation of the inhabitants, they announced that beneath their rich soil lay rocks that were full of an even greater wealth in the form of copper and tin. At first no one believed them, some even mocked them, but soon a few curious souls were starting todig just in case the strangers were right! Word of this got round and before long, half of the town had joined them in the hopes of discovering treasure beneath the soil. The thought of easily gained wealth burrowed like a worminto the hearts of some of the people. They began to abandon their fields and allotments and instead of growing food or tending their gardens as they had always done before, they started to turn the land over to excavation. The soil was removed and taken away in carts without any tare for plants and animals living there.
Sure enough, they soon saw for themselves that there was tin and copper in great abundance. They learned to extract these from the rock and sell them to merchants and used the money to buy food and much else. The town grew ever more prosperous and soon the poor folk from the other villages began to flock in to claim their shareh of the new-found wealth. Before long the people of Langarrow began to realise that these villagers were prepared to work the mines for a wage, while they, the landowners, could take the greater part of the profit for themselves. Fine houses were built for them, and having little left to do, they spent more and more of their time in idle amusements with their friends. Few people now lived the healthy lives, in tune with nature, of their former days.
The fame of Langarrow continued to grow and fortune seekers began to arrive from up-,country, together with beggars and tinkers, gamblers, drunkards and thieves from every part of England. Soon the streets were full of hawkers and tricksters, brawlers and purse snatchers.
The peace of the old town had gone. The few Wise people who remained in Langarrov lad in despair and took to the hills where they continued their peaceful lives in tune with nature enjoying the sweet water from the hillside springs and growing enough fruit and vegetables in their cottage gardens to live on. Life was harder than it had been in former days at Langarrow, but they were healthy in mind and body and lived to a good old age.
Meanwhile the old church in the town remained abandoned and overgrown with thorns, while the inns and taverns were full to bursting night after night and most of the day.
Then, one terrible night, while the people were totally engrossed in their drunken parties, there came a great wind from the sea such as had never been known before. The wind blew all night long and brought with it the sands of all the shores for many miles around.
Soon the streets were full of the sand to the height of a man's waist and yet the wind went on o n'' . By morning the storm had brought sand to the height of the topmost windows and the people awoke to find themselves imprisoned. And still the wind went on blowing .. .and blowing . , . and blowing ...
All day and all the next night it blew. On the third day the wind stopped and visitors arrived at the top of the valley on their way to Langarrow.But all they could see as they peered into the valley below them was a vastdune of fine sand far deeper than any house.
And from that day to this no trace has been found of the old town of Langarrow or of the people who were there on that fateful night.
THE KING AND THE MINISTER
by Carole Alderman (adapted from a traditional story)
Once there lived a king who had a wise minister who advised him about everything. The king was very pleased with him, except when the minister used to say, "Everything turns out for the best", which the king didn't think could really be true.
One day they were both out riding when they passed a farmer cuttingsugar cane with such dexterity and enthusiasm that they stopped to watch him.
The king, who was feeling a little bored, thought it would be fun to try it himself and asked the farmer to give him the machete. The blade was very sharp and the farmer was loath to hand it over, but the king insisted. Neither would he listen to his minister's pleadings.
Taking the machete, the king began to cut the sugar cane very carefully at first, but as he got into the swing of it, he glanced up at his minister."See. It's not so difficult," laughed the king. As his attention wavered, he accidentally cut off one of his fingers. "Aaaa...!" he cried out in pain.The two servants who had accompanied them, ran to his aid. They bound up his hand, but the finger was lost.
"Why has this awful thing happened?" moaned the bewildered king. "Your Highness, it will turn out for the best," replied his minister.
The king, enraged by the pain of his hand, felt he could not put up with the minister any longer and ordered his servants to arrest him.
He told them to take the minister and throw him down a nearby pit with nothing but bread and water to live on. The king would decide what to do with him in a couple of days when he was in less pain.
"That will teach him what is for the best and what isn't," thought the king as he rode off alone towards the palace.
The accident had delayed them and it was nearly nightfall. A minute later the king found himself set upon by some strangers who lived in the next kingdom. These people used their prisoners as slave labour, and this time they were looking for a perfect slave to be a gift for their queen's birthday. The king looked a promising specimen, they thought.
The king was so afraid, he forgot the pain in his hand. He was made to dismount and was stripped of his fine clothes and carefully examined.
When it was seen that he had a finger missing, the strangers were disappointed. He would not be a perfect present for the queen's birthday, so they decided to leave him tied to a tree while they went off to find someone else.
Half-an-hour later the poor king was relieved to see his two servants riding along the track on their way back to the palace, having dealt with the minister.
The servants quickly untied the king and gave him a cloak as he was shivering with cold, then they quickly made their way back to the palace.
The next day, the king feeling better after a night's sleep, was recalling his lucky escape of the day before and realised that by losing his finger, he had retained his freedom. How strange that things had turned out for the best in that way. He suddenly remembered his minister left in the pit and sent a servant to release him.
When the minister was brought back, the king told him his story and apologised to him for being so disbelieving. He asked the minister whether he had learnt anything from his experience in the pit.
“Your Highness” replied the minister: “By being thrown into the pit, I escaped capture by the strangers. Because of Your Hightness’s decision to arrest me, I am still alive and free.”
“I am glad I have such a wise minister and friend.” Replied the king smiling.
The optimist farmer
Once there was a farmer who always could see something good in everything that happened.
One summer there was a terrible drought and no rain had fallen for weeks. His pastures were brown and his grain crops began to wither. Even the stream dried up.
A sympathetic neighbour came to visit to cheer the farmer up but to his surprise the farmer was whistling merrily in the barn. He greeted his neighbour with a smile saying, "Come see my field of corn." He led the neighbour around to the back of the barn where a swamp had made the land useless. But the drought had dried the swamp and the rich earth provided nutrients for a lush field of corn. The tall stalks rustled gently in the summer breeze and bees buzzed above the rows.
"Never could grow anything here before this drought. But now I've gained ten acres of corn," The farmer said with pride.
I have done my duty !
Once in a forest, a hunter, on being chased by a tiger, felt tired and climbed up a tree. There was a bear sitting on the top of the tree. The tiger was waiting under the tree as it could not climb up. It was very hungry, so it wanted to gobble up the hunter.
It requested the bear to push the hunter down, so that it could kill him and appease its hunger. The bear refused to do so, saying that the hunter was its guest and it was its moral duty to extend hospitality to guests.
But, the tiger continued to wait under the tree. After some time, the bear started to doze. Noticing this, the tiger addressed the hunter, "O man, I am very hungry. It does not matter whether I eat you or the bear. I will go back once my hunger is satiated. The bear is dozing. So, push it down without delay. I will eat it and spare you."
The man did not have the morality of even the bear. He thought he could escape from the clutches of the tiger by offering the bear as bait. So, he committed the ungrateful act of pushing the bear down.
As luck would have it, the bear, as it was falling, caught hold of a branch, climbed up and saved itself from the tiger.
Then the tiger said, "O bear, you should never believe the human beings. This hunter tried to harm you, though you were kind enough to give him shelter and protect him. So, without further delay, push the ungrateful wretch down, I shall devour him".
But the bear said: "I have done my duty.
Each one has to face the consequences of his own actions. I will not harm him just because he tried to harm me."
Le mal est le malmême si tout le monde le fait.
Le bien est le bien même si personne ne lefait.
Assumons la responsabilité de nos erreurs
--Madame Durand, qui est institutrice, rencontre la maman d’une de ses élèves : « Bonjour Madame Dupont, je suis heureuse de voir que vous êtes sortie de l’hôpital. »
--Madame Dupont étonnée lui dit : « Je ne comprends pas, pourquoi vous me dites cela ? »
--Mme Durand: « Mais c’est Carole, votre fille, qui m’a dit hier qu’elle n’avait pas fait son devoir, car elle avait dû s’occuper de sa petite sœur parce que vous aviez été hospitalisée en urgence. »
--Mme Dupont : « Je ne suis pas allée à l’hôpital ! Pourquoi a-t-elle raconté cela ? »
--Rentrée à la maison, Mme Dupont demande à sa fille : « Pourquoi as-tu dit à ton institutrice que tu n’avais pas fait ton devoir parce que j’étais à l’hôpital ? »
--Carole : « Mais Maman, j’ai fait comme toi ! L’autre jour, tu as oublié de m’emmener à ma séance chez le kiné et après tu lui as dit que c’est parce que j’avais été malade. Moi hier, j’avais oublié de faire mon devoir. »
--Mme Dupont : « Ah oui ! Je réalise mon erreur; j’aurais dû assumer la responsabilité de mon oubli, m’excuser, au lieu de raconter un mensonge et en plus, je t’ai montré le mauvais exemple.
Demain nous irons voir ta maîtresse, je lui expliquerai que je suis responsable de ton mensonge, et toi, tu t’excuseras de l’oubli de ton devoir.
Que cette expérience nous serve de leçon à toutes les deux !
The lifebuoy
Truth
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