Friendship Is A Strong Bond & Other Stories

 A good friendship is a strong bond

Ravi and Sugath were two good friends. Wherever they went, they went together. The whole village knew about their friendship. 

Once the two friends wanted to visit one of their old teachers in another village. The path to that village fell through a thick forest infested with wild animals. 

On the way, Ravi asked Sugath if he could climb up trees. Sugath said that he had never climbed up a tree. The two friends continued their journey. 

Suddenly, Ravi saw a bear coming towards them. He quickly climbed up a near by tree. Sugath was left alone on the road. He was shivering in fear. He had nothing to do but to lay on the road as if he were dead. When Sugath saw his good friend lying on the road, he remembered his friend did not how to climb up trees. He was shocked to see his friend on the road.  

Ravi quickly climbed down and ran to his friend in a flash. He also lay beside Sugath. Sugath murmurred to see Ravi, "Friend, climb up a tree and save your life. Then at least one of us will survive to go back home and tell what happened to us." But Ravi said, "No, let that bear kill both of us. Let's die together. Then we both can be friends again in our next birth." 

The bear approached the two friends. It sniffed the two boys friend head to toe and went away. 

The two friends got up and hugged each other. They continued their journey. 

[ Sajendra Kumara ]

The Four Monkeys| The Clever Teacher

Once There lived a clever teacher. He started each day after taching his students some lessons for their life. 

One day, he asked his students, "If there were four monkeys on a branch and one of them decided to leave, how many of them would be left on the branch?" 

The students shouted at once in chorus "one". 

However, one of the students stood up and said, "No, all the monkeys remained on the branch."

The teacher turned to him and asked, "Well, son , can you explain it to your friends. Only you disagree with your friends." 

The little boy replied, "You said, sir , the monkey only 'decided' to leave the branch. But , sir , making a decision and actually leaving a place are two different actions. It does not mean in way that the monkey took action or left." 

The teacher was happy and said, "Indeed, that's the correct answer my children." 

The teacher told the students, "Many people talk, but only a few take action. Mind you my children ! there is a big difference between making an action and taking an action." 

(Adapted by Sajendra)