The Bear and the Travelers

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Two travelers were on a  journey through the countryside. They were walking along a track on the edge of some wood. suddenly they spotted a fierce looking bear ambling towards their direction. They weren't sure whether the bear had seen them, but not wanting to take any risks, the first traveler quickly climbed up the first tree and hid among the high branches. The second one dropped his bags and fell to the ground, pretending to be dead. He’d heard before that bears don’t prey on dead flesh, so he thought this was his safest way to survive.

The bear reached the spot where the man was lying on the ground, who was keeping as still as he could, and doing his best to keep his breath in. The bear sniffed around his head for a few minutes, but did not seem to be all that interested, and went on his way. The other traveler climbed down from the tree to join his friend. “Phew!” he said, “That was close. From up there in the tree, I could have sworn that bear was talking to you!”

“Sure he was”, the second one replied. “He told me to be more careful in future when setting out on a journey, and not to travel with someone who deserts you at the first sign of trouble!”

Lesson;

 a  true friend is one who will always be there for you even when in trouble

Belling the Cat

 A family of mice were living in fear of a cat that hunts them all day and night. Tired of fearing for their lives every now and then, they decided to try and think up a plan to help their situation. After some time, one of the younger mice comes up with a brilliant idea. she  suggested that they tie a bell around the cat's neck, so they can hear it approach and always be able to hide in time. All the mice agree, except one: the oldest, wisest mouse who scorned the idea. Although he agreed  that it's a good plan in theory, but asks "who will be the one to bell the cat?"

 lesson;

 Ideas are essential to solving problems, but even more to it is knowing how to execute the idea and carrying out your plans. 

one good step to take is better than a thousand intention.

The Donkey in Lion's Skin.

A donkey dressed itself in a lion's skin. posing a threat to other animals and villagers around town.  Everyone including the hyenas and tigers thought that he was a real lion as they gave him that credit and  keep away. Soon he became bold. But one day the foolish donkey-lion forgot he was acting a lion and brays uncontrollably. Some farmers heard him braying and ran after him with sticks. They beat him to death. Thus, the poor donkey paid the price for his foolishness. 

MORAL : 
Never masquerade as someone else because the best person to be is you.
Dont take the credit of what you are not.

The wise smuggler

A Tale from the Middle East

A clever smuggler came to the border with a donkey. The donkey's back was heavily laden with straw. The official at the border was suspicious and pulled apart the man's bundles till there was straw all around, but not a valuable thing in the straw was found. "But I'm certain you're smuggling something," the official said, as the man crossed the border.

Now each day for ten years the man came to the border with a donkey. Although the official searched and searched the straw bundles on the donkey's back, he never could find anything valuable hidden in them.

Many years later, after the official had retired, he happened to meet that same smuggler in a marketplace and said, "Please tell me, I beg you. Tell me, what were you smuggling? Tell me, if you can."

"Donkeys," said the man.

moral
don't air your views.
don't always be quick to announce your intentions, let your work speak for you.

The pompous Snake without hand

A snake was boasting and shouting unnecessarily in a classroom of all other animals "i am poisonous, am poisonous, am poisonous and the senior prefect Mr bear snarled "audience class!
 if you know you are poisonous, raise your hands then..."

The tale of the tortoise and the hare

One day a rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle for being so slow. Much to the rabbit’s surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race. The rabbit thought this was a good joke and accepted the challenge. The fox was to be the umpire of the race. As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the turtle, just like everyone thought. The rabbit got to the halfway point and could not see the turtle anywhere. He was hot and tired and decided to stop and take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed him, he would be able to race to the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle kept walking step by step by step. He never quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He just kept going. However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He could not see the turtle anywhere! He went at full-speed to the finish line but found the turtle there waiting for him.
Moral:
Never underestimate your opponent's ability even if he appears weak.

The wolf and the crane

Once upon a time, a wolf was feasting too greedily and quickly, and a bone had stuck crosswise in his throat. He could get it neither up nor down, and of course he could not eat a thing. Naturally that was an awful state of affairs for a greedy Wolf.

So away he hurried to the Crane. He was sure that she, with her long neck and bill, would easily be able to reach the bone and pull it out.

“I will reward you very handsomely,” said the Wolf, “if you help pull out the bone in my throat.”

The Crane, as you can imagine, was very uneasy about putting her head in a Wolf’s throat. But she was grasping in nature, so she did what the Wolf asked her to do.

When the Wolf felt relieved he started to walk away.

“But what about my reward!” called the Crane anxiously.

“What!” snarled the Wolf, whirling around. “Haven’t you got it? Isn’t it enough that I let you take your head out of my mouth without snapping it off?”
Morals

Never expect  reward for serving the wicked.

The story of the eagle and the beetle

An Eagle was chasing a hare, which was running for it dear life and

was at her wits' end to know where to turn for help. luckily she espied a Beetle, and begged it to aid her. So when the Eagle came up the Beetle warned her not to touch the hare, which was under its protection. But the Eagle never noticed the Beetle because it was so small, seized the hare and ate her up. The  Beetle was bitter about this total neglect and letdown it got from the eagle and decides to revenge someday as it keeps an eye on the Eagle's nest. 

whenever the Eagle laid an egg, the beetle climb up  to where the egg is and rolled it out of the nest and broke it.

At last the Eagle got so worried over the loss of her eggs that she went up to Jupiter, who is the special protector of Eagles, and begged him to give her a safe place to nest in; so he let her lay her eggs in his lap. But the Beetle noticed this and made a ball of dirt the size of an Eagle's egg, and flew up and deposited it in Jupiter's lap. When Jupiter saw the dirt, he stood up to shake it out of his robe, and, forgetting about the eggs, he shook them

out too, and they were broken just as before.

Ever since then, they say, Eagles never lay their eggs at the

season when Beetles are about.

Moral lesson 

Always be mindful of how you treat others, you may have all it takes to win the war but do have a rethink because sometimes even the weakest may find means to avenge a wrong.