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“The end must justify the means.”
― Matthew Prior

Dirty tricks seldom work.

A fox was once caught in a trap. It was only after a tough struggle that she could get free. But, to her sorrow, her beautiful tail had been cut off and left in the trap. "How ugly I shall look!" moaned the fox, " won't the other foxes laugh at me ?" Thinking hard, the fox hit upon a plan to save herself from being laughed at. She called a meeting of his friends and said, "Brothers! have you ever wondered why after all, we carry these long tails?" Let us cut them off and be free from their nuisance." But the other foxes had noticed her cut-off tail. They laughed aloud and replied, "You used to say that tails looked very fine when your own was all right. Now that you have lost yours, you want us to lose ours too." MORAL : Dirty tricks seldom work.

Bullshit cause downfall

A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy." 

"Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. 
"They're packed with nutrients." 

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. 

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. 

Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree. 

Moral of the story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there. 

Must be sitting very, very high up.

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?" 

The eagle answered, "Sure , why not." 

So the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. 
All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it. 

Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up. 

it's best to keep your mouth shut!

A little bird was flying south for the Winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. 

While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. 
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. 

The dung was actually thawing him out! 
He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. 

A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him. 

Morals of the story: 
(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy. 
(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend. 
(3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut! 

Idleness is a curse.

A lazy grasshopper laughed at a little ant as she was always busy gathering food. "why are youworking so hard?" he asked, "come into the sunshine and listen to my merry notes." "But the ant went on her work. She said" I am lying in a store for the winter. Sunny days won't last for ever." "Winter is so far away yet, "laughed the grasshopper back.  And when the winter came, the ant settled down in her snug house. She had plenty of food to last the whole winter. The grasshopper had nothing to eat so, he went to the antand begged her for a little corn. "No", replied the ant, "you laughed at me when I worked. You yourself sang through the summer. So you had better dancethe winter away." MORAL : Idleness is a curse.

Never find fault with others.

One day a peacock met a crane and said, "So sorry for you. You have so dullfeathers. Look at the fine colors of my feathers." "Well!" replied the crane, "your look are brighter then mine. but whereas I can fly high up into the sky, all you can do is to strut about on the ground."

Safety is the first importance.

A town-mouse paid a visit to his friend who lived in the countryside. The country-mouse was happy to see his friend. So he prepared a fine feast for him. The town-mouse looked at the fruit and the car of corn with hatred

"Is this how you live ?" he asked, "life in the country does not offer much."

He persuaded the country-mouse to accompany him to the town and see all the good things there.

So, the country-mouse packed all his belongings and off they went to the city. The country-mouse was really surprised to see the things there. But as soon as they settled down to enjoy a fine meal of cheese and fruit, a big cat leapt in through the window. Seeing the cat, both the mice ran into their hole to save themselves, so the cat ate up all the cheese and fruit.

When the cat had gone away, the mice came out of their hole.

"I am going," cried the country-mouse, "I like my simple fare in safety than this grand feast in such a danger."

MORAL: Safety is the first importance.

Read more at http://www.kidsgen.com/moral_stories/townmouse_countrymouse.htm#5UXP0uBQYmYov1VG.99

Slow and steady wins the race.

Once a hare was roaming near a lake in a forest. Suddenly he saw a tortoise and mocked at him saying - "Hurry up, you slow coach! Don't you find life very dull taking so long to cover a few yards? I could have run to the other side of the lake by now."

The tortoise felt teased and dared the hare to a race. The race was to be through the wood to a fixed goal.
The hare agreed laughingly. In a few minutes he was away and out of sight.
"What a funny race it is!" he said to himself , "I am already half -way through. But it is too-too cold; why not have a nap in the warm sunshine?"
The tortoise walked steadily on and on. In a short time, he passed by the sleeping hare.
The hare slept far longer then he had intended. When he woke up at last, he looked around in surprise and said to himself," Not even a sigh of the poor tortoise anywhere so far; I had better trot along and finish the race."
The hare ran to the goal. He was amazed to see all the animals cheering the tortoise who had arrived just a minute earlier. how ashamed he felt indeed!

MORAL : Slow and steady wins the race.

egges are not chickens before they are hatched

A Milk-maid had been to the meadow to milk her cows. Now she 

was returning home with a pail of milk on her head.

She thought, "I will make cream and butter out of this milk. Then selling them, I will buy eggs. and when they hatch, I shall have a good poultry farm."

She further thought, "I shall sell some of my fowls and buy a fine dress. Seeing it on my body at the fair, all the boys will admire me. But I will turn them away just tossing my head at them."

Lost in day dreams, she forgot about the pail on her head. She tossed her head with a jerk and the pail of milk came tumbling down. it was broken and all the milk got spilt.

"Dear O dear !" she cried, "I have lost my all."

MORAL: Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

Safety is the first importance.

A town-mouse paid a visit to his friend who lived in the countryside. The country-mouse was happy to see his friend. So he prepared a fine feast for him. The town-mouse looked at the fruit and the car of corn with hatred

"Is this how you live ?" he asked, "life in the country does not offer much."

He persuaded the country-mouse to accompany him to the town and see all the good things there.

So, the country-mouse packed all his belongings and off they went to the city. The country-mouse was really surprised to see the things there. But as soon as they settled down to enjoy a fine meal of cheese and fruit, a big cat leapt in through the window. Seeing the cat, both the mice ran into their hole to save themselves, so the cat ate up all the cheese and fruit.

When the cat had gone away, the mice came out of their hole.

"I am going," cried the country-mouse, "I like my simple fare in safety than this grand feast in such a danger."

MORAL: Safety is the first importance.

Life is dear to everyone.

farmer's boy went into his field. There were some sheep and a pig there. He picked up the pig that squealed aloud.

"Why are you making a fuss? When he catches us, we never cry." said a sheep.

"Shut up, cried the pig, "the shepherd wants only wool from you. But this boy is taking me away for my meat."

MORAL: Life is dear to everyone.

  

Lost time cannot be recalled.

Two foxes watched a wild boar sharpening his tusks on a tree-trunk.

"Why do you do that?" asked one of them, "the huntsmen are not out today."

"Let that be so," answered the boar, "but whenever my life is in danger, I shall need my tusks and there will be no time to sharpen them."

MORAL: Lost time cannot be recalled.

Never find fault with others.

One day a peacock met a crane and said, "So sorry for you. You have so dull feathers. Look at the fine colors of my feathers."

"Well!" replied the crane, "your look are brighter then mine. but whereas I can fly high up into the sky, all you can do is to strut about on the ground."

MORAL: Never find fault with others.

You can not please everyone

One day a man was going to market with his son and his ass. they met a couple on the way.

"Why walk when you have an ass to ride?" called out the husband, "seat the boy on the ass."

"I would like that," said the boy, "help me up father."

And the father did that willingly.

Soon they met another couple. "How shameful of you!" cried the woman, "let your father ride, won't he be tired?"

So, the boy got down and the father rode the ass. Again they marched on.

"poor boy", said the next person they met, "why should the lazy father ride while his son is walking?"

So, the boy got onto the ass too. As they went on, they met some travellers.

"How cruel of them!" They are up to kill the poor ass." cried one of the travellers.

Hearing this, the father and the son got down. Now they decided to carry the ass on their shoulders. As they did so, the travellers broke into laughter.

The laughter frightened the ass. It broke free and galloped away.

MORAL: You can not please everyone

A bird in hand is worth two in bush.

A fisherman had been fishing for along time but without luck. At last he tugged at his net and saw a small fish caught in it.

"Please let me go," begged the fish, "I will grow bigger in a few days and then you can catch me again."

The fisherman said, "Now that I have caught you I won't let you go. If I leave you, I may never see you again."

MORAL: A bird in hand is worth two in bush.

The Beauty Contest

The Beauty Contest

A farmer was returning home from his fields one evening when suddenly two women appeared in front of him. "I am the goddess of poverty," said one of them. "And I am the goddess of wealth," said the other. "W-what do you want from me?" asked the man, his voice faint with fear. "Tell us who between the two of us is the more beautiful," said the goddess of wealth, giving him an enchanting smile. The man knew he was in a dangerous position. If he favoured the one, he would displease the other. But he was a clever man and thinking fast he said to the goddess of wealth: "When you are entering a house, you are certainly the more beautiful." Then turning quickly to the other deity said: "But there's none to compare with you when you are leaving a house. Then, it is you who are the more beautiful." The deities beamed with joy and disappeared, and the farmer heaved a sigh of relief and hurried home.

Governor 's sense of humour

A Family of Tyrants

A shopkeeper of Isfahan went to the governor of the city and begged him to exempt him from a tax that had recently been levied on shopkeepers. "My shop is not doing too well and I have a large family to support," he explained. "That does not concern me," said the governor. "Pay up or leave the city." "Where can I go?" said the man. "Go to Shiraz or Kashan," said the governor. "They are prosperous cities." "That is true," said the shopkeeper. "But your nephew rules Shiraz and he has made the same laws, and as for Kashan, it is ruled by your cousin." "Then go to the king and complain," said the governor, impatiently. "The king's prime minister is your brother," continued the shopkeeper. "He will not grant my request." "Go to Hell!" roared the governor. "Ah, yes, Hell," said the shopkeeper, gravely. "But pardon me, Your Excellency, did not your respected father die last year?" The governor had a sense of humour.  He laughed and agreed to exempt him from the tax.

TOEFL Vocabulary English Conversation English Grammar American Idioms English Comprehension English Summary English News Business Idioms

The tiger of Chao-Cheng At Chao-cheng there lived an old woman more than seventy years of age, who had an only son. One day he went up to the hills and was eaten by a tiger, at which his mother was so overwhelmed with grief that she hardly wished to live. With tears and lamentations she ran and told her story to the magistrate of the place, who laughed and asked her how she thought the law could be brought to bear on a tiger. But the old woman would not be comforted, and at length the magistrate lost his temper and bade her begone. Of this, however, she took no notice; and then the magistrate, in compassion for her great age and unwilling to resort to extremities, promised her that he would have the tiger arrested. Even then she would not go until the warrant had been actually issued; so the magistrate, at a loss what to do, asked his attendants which of them would undertake the job. Upon this one of them, Li Neng, who happened to be gloriously drunk, stepped forward and said that he would; where- upon the warrant was immediately issued and the old woman went away. When our friend, Li Neng, got sober, he was sorry for what he had done; but reflecting that the whole thing was a mere trick of his master's to get rid of the old woman's importunities, did not trouble himself much about it, handing in the warrant as if the arrest had been made. "Not so," cried the magistrate, "you said you could do this, and now I shall not let you off." Li Neng was at his wits' end, and begged that he might be allowed to impress the hunters of the district. This was conceded; so collecting together these men, he proceeded to spend day and night among the hills in the hope of catching a tiger, and thus making a show of having fulfilled his duty. A month passed away, during which he received several hundred blows with the bamboo, and at length, in despair, he betook himself to the Cheng-huang temple in the eastern suburb, where, falling on his knees, he prayed and wept by turns. By-and-by a tiger walked in, and Li Neng, in a great fright, thought he was going to be eaten alive. But the tiger took no notice of anything, remaining seated in the doorway. Li Neng then addressed the animal as follows: "O tiger, if thou didst slay that old woman's son, suffer me to bind thee with this cord;" and, drawing a rope from his pocket, threw it over the animal's neck. The tiger drooped its ears, and, allowing itself to be bound, followed Li Neng to the magistrate's office. The latter than asked it, "Did you eat the old woman's son?" to which the tiger replied by nodding his head; whereupon the magistrate rejoined, "That murderers should suffer death has ever been the law. Besides, this old woman had but one son, and by killing him you took from her the sole support of her declining years. But if now you will be as a son to her, your crime shall be pardoned." The tiger again nodded assent, and accordingly the magistrate gave orders that he should be released, at which the old woman was highly incensed, thinking that the tiger ought to have paid with its life for the destruction of her son. Next morning, however, when she opened the door of her cottage, there lay a dead deer before it; and the old woman, by selling the flesh and skin, was able to purchase food. From that day this became a common event, and sometimes the tiger would even bring her money and valuables, so that she became quite rich, and was much better cared for than she had been even by her own son. Consequently, she became very well-disposed to the tiger, which often came and slept in the verandah, remaining for a whole day at a time, and giving no cause of fear either to man or beast. In a few years the old woman died, upon which the tiger walked in and roared its lamentations in the hall. However, with all the money she had saved, she was able to have a splendid funeral; and while her relatives were standing round the grave, out rushed a tiger, and sent them all running away in fear. But the tiger merely went up to the mound, and, after roaring like a thunder-peal, disappeared again. Then the people of that place built a shrine in honor of the Faithful Tiger, and it remains there to this day.

The Frog in the Well There was a frog that lived in a shallow well. " Look how well off I am here ! " he told a big turtle from the Eastern Ocean. " I can hop along the coping of the well when I go out, and rest by a crevice in the bricks on my return. I can wallow to my heart's content with only my head above water, or stroll ankle deep through soft mud. No crabs or tadpoles can compare with me. I am master of the water and lord of this shallow well, What more can a fellow ask ? Why don't you come here more often to have a good time ? " Before the turtle from the Eastern Ocean could get his left foot into the well, however, he caught his right calw on something. So he halted and stepped back then began to describe the ocean to the frog. " It's more than a thousand miles across and more than ten thousand feet deep. In ancient times there were floods nine years out of ten yet the water in the ocean never increased. And later there were droughts seven years out of eight yet the water in the ocean never grew less. It has remained quite constant throughtout the ages. That is why I like to live in the Eastern Ocean. " Then the frog in the shallow well was silent and felt a little abashed. abashed If you are abashed, you feel embarrassed and ashamed.

The Crow and The Cobra

Two crows, husband and wife, lived on a tree. Every time, the wife hatched the eggs, a cobra would come and feast on the offspring. The couple asked a jackal who was their friend to show them the way. The jackal told the crow not to despair for there is noting that a trick cannot achieve. The jackal told them to go to a big city and snatch any item of jewellery from a palace and drop it in the hollow of the tree that is the cobra's home. In search of the jewellery, the king's men would reach the tree and kill the cobra.

The crow couple flew off to a lake where the queen and her maids were bathing in water. Before entering water, the women left their jewellery and clothes on the waterside. The female crow skillfully dived and snatched a gold necklace and began slowly flying towards the cobra's hideout. The king's men who saw the crow fly off with the necklace followed the female crow and saw it dropping the necklace into the hollow of the tree. They ran to the tree and pulling it out killed the cobra.

The Clever Hare and The Witless Lion

Once upon a time there lived a cruel lion in the forest who killed the forest animals indiscriminately. Seeing this, the animals gathered and decided to approach the lion with the offer of one animal of each species volunteering itself to be eaten by the lion everyday. So every day it was the turn of one of the animals to be the prey of lion. And in the end came the rabbits' turn. The rabbits chose a old rabbit among them. The rabbit was wise and old. It took its own sweet time to go to the Lion. The Lion was getting impatient on not seeing any animal come by and swore to kill all animals the next day.

The rabbit then reached the Lion by sunset. The Lion was angry at him. But the wise rabbit was calm and slowly told the Lion that it was not his fault. He told the Lion that a group of rabbits were coming to him for the day when on the way, an angry Lion attacked them all and ate all rabbits . Somehow he escaped to reach safely, the rabbit said. He said that the other Lion was challenging the supremacy of his Lordship ,the Lion. The Lion was naturally very enraged and asked to be taken to the location of the other Lion.

The wise rabbit agreed and led the Lion towards a deep well filled with water. Then he showed the Lion his reflection in the water of the well. The Lion was furious and started growling and naturally its image in the water, the other Lion, was also equally angry. Then the Lion jumped into the water to attack the other Lion, and so lost his life in the well. Thus the wise rabbit saved the forest and its inhabitants from the proud Lion.

The Monkey and The Crocodile

Once upon a time there lived a monkey on an apple tree by the side of the sea. . Once a crocodile swam ashore and the monkey threw apples at him and asked him to taste them. The crocodile started coming everyday to eat the fruits thrown by the monkey and soon they became good friends.
The crocodile used to take some fruits his wife too. His wife asked him as to where he got the nectar filled apples. The crocodile told her about his friend the monkey. The lady was greedy and pleaded with her husband that she would like to eat the monkey's heart, as a person who gave such tasty fruits must have a heart filled with nectar. The crocodile was angry and did not agree to deceive his friend. But she then insisted on not eating anything till he brought her his friend's heart. Out of desperation, the crocodile started making plans for killing his friend.

He came back to the monkey and invited him to his house for supper stating that his wife would be thrilled to have him home and also that she was very anxious to meet such a nice friend. Poor monkey believed the story and asked his friend as to how he could cross the sea to reach the house of the crocodile on the other side. The crocodile then offered to carry him on his back and the monkey agreed.

In the middle of the sea, the crocodile told the monkey that his wife wanted to eat his heart filled with nectar. The monkey immediately asked him to take him back to the tree as he had left his heart back at the tree. The foolish crocodile then swam back to the tree and the terrified monkey jumped up the tree never to return. The monkey at once leapt to the top of the tree and thought, “ We should not trust an untrustworthy person, even if we did, it should not be total. Such trust will destroy us completely. This is a rebirth for me.”
The crocodile was in a hurry and asked the monkey, “ What is the delay? Get you heart. My wife will be very happy.”
The monkey angrily told him, “ You idiot, have you seen anyone with two hearts? You are ungrateful. Get out of my sight and never come this way again.
MORAL : He overcomes all problems who does not lose his cool, even in the face of adversity like the monkey in the water

love within reach of every one

1.If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
2.Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.


Mother Teresa

charity is proportional to love with people

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” 

“Love is not patronizing and charity isn't about pity, it is about love. Charity and love are the same -- with charity you give love, so don't just give money but reach out your hand instead.”    

― Mother Teresa

do small with great love

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
― Mother Teresa

‘Tales of Bidpai’, an Arabic version of the Panchatantra.

Cycle of Evil

There was once a king who was so cruel and unjust that his subjects yearned for his death or dethronement. However, one day he surprised them all by announcing that he had decided to turn over a new leaf. “No more cruelty, no more injustice,” he promised, and he was as good as his word. He became known as the ‘Gentle Monarch’. Months after his transformation one of his ministers plucked up enough courage to ask him what had brought about his change of heart, and the king answered: “As I was galloping through my forests I caught sight of a fox being chased by a hound. The fox escaped into his hole but not before the hound had bitten into its leg and lamed it for life. Later I rode into a village and saw the same hound there. It was barking at a man. Even as I watched, the man picked up a huge stone and flung it at the dog, breaking its leg. The man had not gone far when he was kicked by a horse. His knee was shattered and he fell to the ground, disabled for life. The horse began to run but it fell into a hole and broke its leg. Reflecting on all that had happened, I thought: ‘Evil begets evil. If I continue in my evil ways, I will surely be overtaken by evil’. So I decided to change”. The minister went away convinced that the time was ripe to overthrow the king and seize the throne. Immersed in thought, he did not see the steps in front of him and fell, breaking his neck. — Based on a story in the ‘Tales of Bidpai’, an Arabic version of the Panchatantra.

deside your own

One daya man was going tomarketwith his son and his ass. they met a couple on the way.

"Why walk when you have an ass to ride?" called out thehusband, "seatthe boyon the ass."

"I would like that," saidthe boy, "help me up father."

And the father did that willingly.

Soon they met another couple. "How shameful of you!" criedthe woman, "let your father ride, won't he be tired?"

So,the boygot down and the father rode the ass. Again they marched on.

"poor boy", said the next person they met, "why should the lazy father ride while his son is walking?"

So,the boygot onto the ass too. As they went on, they met some travellers.

"How cruel of them!" They are up to kill the poor ass." cried one of the travellers.

Hearing this, the father and the son got down. Now they decided to carry the ass on their shoulders. As they did so, the travellers broke into laughter.

The laughter frightened the ass. It broke free and galloped away.

MORAL: You can not please everyone

Read more athttp://www.kidsgen.com/moral_stories/you_cannot_please_everyone.htm#5WOJGe5bIXydb7Zp.99

Idleness is a curse.

 

lazygrasshopperlaughed at a little ant as she was always busy gathering food.

"why are youworkingso hard?" he asked, "come into the sunshine and listen to my merry notes."

"Butthe antwent on her work. She said" I am lying in a store forthe winter. Sunny days won't last for ever."

"Winter is so far away yet, "laughed thegrasshopperback.

And whenthe wintercame,the antsettled down in her snug house. She had plenty of food to last the whole winter. Thegrasshopperhad nothing to eat so, he went tothe antand begged her for a little corn.

"No", repliedthe ant, "you laughed at me when Iworked. You yourself sang through the summer. So you had better dancethe winteraway."

MORAL : Idleness is a curse.

 

Love can only succeed if surrender is mutual

Headstrong Companion

Once upon a time there lived a Bharunda, a bird with two heads. One day it found a strange fruit on the seashore. It picked it up and started eating it. The head that was feeding, exclaimed, "Many a sweet fruit tossed by the sea have I eaten, but this beats them all! Is it the fruit of a sandalwood tree or that of the divine parijata?" Hearing this, the other head asked to taste the fruit, but the first head refused, saying, "We have a common stomach, so there's no need for you to eat it too. I'll give it to our sweetheart, the Bharundi," and with that, it tossed the half-eaten fruit to the female. From that day on, the second head carried a grudge against the first and waited for an opportunity to take revenge. One day it found a poison fruit. Picking up the fruit, it said to the first head, "You selfish wretch! See, here's a poison fruit and I'm going to eat it!" "Don't do that, you fool!" shrieked the first head, "you'll kill us both!" But the second head would not listen. It consumed the poison and soon the two-headed bird was dead. —A tale from the Panchatantra

Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.

Fear

There was a lion who feared nothing except the crowing of cocks. A chill would go down his spine whenever he heard a cock crowing. One day he confessed his fear to the elephant, who was greatly amused. “How can the crowing of a cock hurt you?” he asked the lion. “Think about it!” Just then a mosquito began circling the elephant’s head, frightening him out of his wits. “If it gets into my ear I’m doomed!” he shrieked, flailing at the insect with his trunk. Now it was the lion’s turn to feel amused. Moral: If we could see our fears as others see them we would realise that most of our fears make no sense!

Age overtakes us all;

The Wise Old Man

A wealthy man requested an old scholar to wean his son away from his bad habits.  The scholar took the youth for a stroll through a garden. Stopping suddenly he asked the boy to pull out a tiny plant growing there. The youth held the plant between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it out. The old man then asked him to pull out a slightly bigger plant. The youth pulled hard and the plant came out, roots and all. "Now pull out that one," said the old man pointing to a bush. The boy had to use all his strength to pull it out. "Now take this one out," said the old man, indicating a guava tree. The youth grasped the trunk and tried to pull it out. But it would not budge. "I – It's impossible," said the boy, panting with the effort. "So it is with bad habits," said the sage. "When they are young it is easy to pull them out but when they take hold they cannot be uprooted." The session with the old man changed the boy's life.

Be or be not like others

  "A bus station is where a bus stops."

  "A train station is where a train stops."

 " On my desk, I have a work station.... 
  what more can I say........