Fables are enjoyable for individuals of all ages to read. Not only that, fables teach important life lessons that children and adults alike may benefit from.
Here are five fables which teach important life lessons many adults often forget:
1) "Town Mouse and the Country Mouse"
A poor country mouse visits his cousin in the town. The town mouse, who appears to be better off than his cousin, tries to convince the country mouse to move into the city. His efforts are thwarted when the mice are pursued by two dogs. At that moment, the country mouse realizes that his life in the country is better than his cousin's life in the town. The moral of the story is: "Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."
We may at times complain about our lives and wish it could be better. Yet, we don't realize how good our lives really are. For instance, many of us dream of riches without realizing that there are many trade-offs to being rich, such as constantly working, having to travel frequently, having little privacy, not having much free time, and ultimately not being able to trust others.
2) "Old Man and Death"
An old man who is tired of his life asks death to take it. But when the entity death actually appears before him, he quickly has a change of heart. Instead, the old man asks death to help him carry his load. The fable's moral is "We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified."
The moral of the fable is indeed true, for we wish for things but don't realize that it might not be the best thing for us. Another way to look at this fable is that it highlights the importance of asking for help when necessary. The old man was tired of his life of hard work, and he just wanted to throw in the towel and give up on his life altogether. Alternate morals of this fable could be that we should not give up or that it is okay to ask for help.
3) "Crow and the Pitcher"
A thirsty crow cannot reach the water at the bottom of a pitcher, so he drops pebbles into the pitcher to increase the water level in order to quench his thirst. The moral of the fable is "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Problems are good practice for creativity. If we learn from our current issues, than we are better prepared for future problems. It is important not get fed up when a problem arises, but to face issues as they come head on and focus on finding a way to resolve those problems. Not only could we benefit from the lessons we learn, but other people could benefit as well. Because the crow learned how to reach the water at the bottom of the pitcher, the crow could, in turn, help other crows by telling his story.
4) "Fox and the Crow"
When a fox sees a crow with a piece of cheese in her mouth, he flirts with her to trick her into dropping the cheese from her mouth and into his hands. The moral of the tale is "Never trust a flatterer."
While it is important to trust others, it is also imperative to be cautious. In addition, we must find out the other person's intentions and get to know that person before believing their words.
A young girl was carrying a bucket of milk to sell at the market. While she was daydreaming about all of the things she would buy with the money she would earn, she spilled the milk. The moral of the story is "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
We think so much about the future and at times neglect the task at hand. For instance, many of us may be going to school and may be worried about our future jobs. Since finishing school is an important step toward getting a job, we would do better to worry about school.
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