Two cherries. Parable of St. Nicholas of Serbia
One man had two cherry trees in front of his house. One was evil and the other was good. Whenever he left the house, they called him and asked him for something. The evil cherry asked for different things every time: either “dig me in,” then “whiten me,” then “give me something to drink,” then “take away excess moisture from me,” then “shade me from the hot sun,” then “give me more light.” . And the good cherry tree always repeated the same request: “My lord, help me bring a good harvest!”
The owner was equally merciful to both, looked after them, listened carefully to their requests and fulfilled all their desires. He did what both one and the other asked, in other words, he gave the evil cherry everything that it demanded, and the good one only what he considered necessary, with the ultimate goal being a wonderful, abundant harvest.
And then what happened? The evil cherry tree had grown greatly, the trunk and branches glistened as if smeared with oil, and the abundant foliage was dark green, spreading, like a thick tent. In contrast, the kind cherry tree did not attract anyone’s attention with its appearance.
When the harvest time came, the evil cherry produced small, rare fruits, which, due to the dense foliage, could not ripen, but the good one brought many, many very tasty berries. The evil cherry tree felt ashamed that it could not produce such a harvest as its neighbor, and it began to grumble at the owner, reproaching him for this. The owner got angry and replied: “Is it my fault?” Wasn’t it me who fulfilled all your desires for a whole year? If you thought only about the harvest, I would help you bring the same abundant fruits as hers. But you pretended to be smarter than me, who imprisoned you, and that’s why you remained barren.
The evil cherry tree bitterly repented and promised the owner that next year she would think only about the harvest, and would ask him only for this, and would leave everything else to him to take care of. As she promised, she did so - she began to behave like a kind cherry. And the next year, both cherries brought an equally good harvest, and their joy, like that of the owner, was great.
***
The moral of this simple parable is clear to all who pray to God.
The owner of the garden is the God of this light, and people are His seedlings. Like any owner, God requires a harvest from His plants. “Every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!” - says the Gospel. Therefore, first of all and most of all, you need to take care of the harvest. And we must pray to the Owner - God, the “Lord of the Harvest”, for a good harvest. There is no need to ask the Lord for small things. Look, no one goes to the king of the earth to ask him for some little thing that can easily be obtained elsewhere.
“Our Lord is the Lord the Giver,” says Saint John Chrysostom. He loves when His children ask Him for something great, worthy of a prince. And the greatest gift that God can give to people is the Kingdom of Heaven, where He Himself reigns. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ commands: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and the rest will be added to you.” And He also commands: “Do not worry about what you will eat, or what you will drink, or what you will wear. Your Heavenly Father knows that you need all this.” And He also says: “Even before you pray, your Father knows what you need!”
So what should you ask God for? First of all, what is the best, the greatest and the most infinite. And these will be those spiritual riches that are called by one name - the Kingdom of Heaven. When first of all we ask God for this, He gives, along with this wealth, everything else that we need in this world. Of course, it is not forbidden to ask God for the rest of what we need, but this can only be asked at the same time as the main thing.
The Lord Himself teaches us to pray for bread every day: “Give us this day our daily bread!” But this prayer in “Our Father” is not in first place, but only after the prayer for the holy name of God, for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven and for the dominion of the will of God on earth as it is in Heaven.
So, first spiritual benefits, and only then material ones. All material goods are from dust, and the Lord easily creates them and easily gives them. He gives them according to His mercy even to those who do not ask for it. He gives them to animals as well as people. However, He never gives spiritual benefits either without human will or without seeking. The most precious riches, that is, spiritual ones, such as peace, joy, kindness, mercy, patience, faith, hope, love, wisdom and others, God can give as easily as he gives material goods, but only to those who love these spiritual treasures and who will ask God for them.
Proverbs about kindness
A good hen sees grain with one eye, and a kite with the other eye.
A good family will add intelligence - intelligence.
Hold on to the good, but move away from the bad.
Good brotherhood is better than wealth.
It is a good thing to speak the truth boldly.
A good deed praises itself.
God helps the good.
The owner is glad to have a good guest.
Do not repent of a good deed.
Good memory.
Good for the good, but a rib in half for the bad.
Helping a kind person is not at a loss.
To a good man, every day is a holiday.
Kindness without reason is empty.
Good deeds are better than a soft pie.
The good die, but their deeds live.
The good die, but their deeds are not lost.
A good friend is better than a hundred relatives.
A good tailor cuts to spare.
A kind person is more likely to do something than an angry one.
A good person will live a century of goodness.
A kind person teaches good things.
A kind person is better than a stone bridge.
A good person will come as if he will bring light.
To be kind is to be known as kind.
The evil one does not believe that there are good people.
And the dog remembers the good old times.
Beauty until the evening, but kindness forever.
Beauty is carried away by the years, but kindness will not be carried away.
He who does good is not harmed by evil.
Those who help people have their wishes come true.
An affectionate word - like a spring day.
The dashing is for the dashing, and the good is for the good.
There are many kind people in the world.
Don't look for beauty, look for kindness.
Don't rejoice at getting up early, rejoice at the good hour!
It doesn’t matter what kind of face it is, it would have a heart of gold.
Speak boldly about a good deed.
Hurry for a good deed, and the bad will come on its own.
If you spend an hour in goodness, you will forget all your grief.
Sayings about kindness
To have mercy on a thief is to destroy a good one.
Everyone is kind, but not to everyone.
Good time - time to leave the table.
Good memory - good memory.
Anything fits a good thief.
A good dog does not bark at the wind.
Good hello and good for the cat.
To the good - good glory.
Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A hundred hands for a good man.
The world is not without good people.
A bee flies to a good flower.
Not without good people.
Don't look like a lump - look in bulk.
They do not seek good from good.
The wolf took pity on the mare.
The world is not without good people.
A parable about kindness and politeness
One day a young man came to the Teacher and asked permission to study with him.
Why do you need it? - asked the master.
I want to become strong and invincible.
Then become one! Be kind to everyone, polite and attentive. Kindness and politeness will earn you the respect of others. Your spirit will become pure and kind, and therefore strong. Mindfulness will help you notice the subtlest changes, this will make it possible to avoid collisions, and therefore win a fight without entering into it. If you learn to prevent collisions, you will become invincible.
Because you will have no one to fight with.
The young man left, but after a few years he returned to the Teacher.
What do you need? - asked the old master.
I came to inquire about your health and find out if you need help...
And then the Teacher took him as a student.
Buddhist parable
One of the disciples asked Buddha:
If someone hits me, what should I do?
If a dry branch falls from a tree and hits you, what will you do? - he asked in response:
What will i do? “It’s a simple accident, a simple coincidence that I found myself under a tree when a branch fell from it,” said the student.
Then the Buddha remarked:
So do the same. Someone was mad, angry and hit you - It's like a branch from a tree falling on your head. Don’t let this bother you, go on your way as if nothing happened.
Sufi parable
One student asked his Sufi mentor:
Master, what would you say if you knew about my fall?
Get up!
And next time?
Get up again!
And how long can this continue – keep falling and rising?
Fall and rise while you live! After all, those who fell and did not rise are dead.
Parable about friends
Two friends lived in Syracuse - Damon and Phintius. Damon was arrested for debt and sentenced to death.
“Let me leave until the evening to arrange my household affairs,” Damon asked the ruler of the city, Dionysius, “and Phintius will remain in my place.”
Dionysius laughed at such a naive trick, but agreed.
Evening came, Phintias was already being led to execution. But then, having forced his way through the crowd, Damon arrived in time:
I'm here, sorry for the delay.
Dionysius, seeing this, exclaimed:
You are forgiven! And please, let me be your friend!
Parable about kindness
Many years ago there lived a wise old man. One day, while walking through the forest, he found a golden stone. Continuing on his way, the old man met a lost traveler and showed him the right path. And the traveler noticed the stone and could not take his eyes off - he saw such an expensive thing for the first time in his life. And then the elder gave him this stone. The wanderer continued on his way, knowing that if he sold this stone, he would receive so much money that he would live comfortably for the rest of his life. However, after a few days he returned. Having found the old man with difficulty, the wanderer returned the precious stone to him, and said: “I thought about a lot on the way. I know that this stone costs a lot of money. But I came to return it because I expect to receive something much more valuable from you. I really wanted to have the same kind soul who is capable of giving such valuable gifts.”
Who does a person need more - intelligence or kindness? Parable for children
Intelligence and goodness argued about which of them people need more. They came to the same house where two brothers lived. The brothers lived together and were famous for their friendship and hard work. Intelligence chose the older brother, and kindness chose the younger brother.
Then the elder brother thought and said:
It’s time for us, brother, to each live in our own minds and have our own home.
The younger brother sighed, but agreed. Time has passed. The elder brother was rich, but lived alone. His mind noticed too many shortcomings in people, and he had neither friends nor a wife. The good brother, on the contrary, had a poor home, but his friends and friends visited him every day. He helped everyone, and people sometimes took the last thing from him without hesitation.
Intelligence and kindness understood that life for the brothers was not better, but worse. They came to the sage and asked why this happened.
A mind without kindness is like a head without a heart. “And kindness without mind is like a heart without a head,” the sage explained.
Intelligence and kindness returned to the brothers and persuaded them to live together again and help each other. Since then, everyone respects the brothers and says about them: “The smarter and kinder people are, the happier they live.”
Parable about kindness
It is useful for those working with children to keep in mind the moral of this parable:
There were two seriously ill people in the same room in the hospital. One lay by the window, and the other's bed was located by the door.
-What can you see in the window? – the one who was lying at the door once asked.
- ABOUT! - the first one perked up. – I see the sky, clouds that resemble animals, a lake and a forest in the distance.
Every day, the man lying by the window told his neighbor about what was happening outside the window. He saw a boat, fishermen with a huge catch, children playing on the shore, young lovers holding hands and not taking their shining eyes off each other.
While he was watching all these amazing events outside the window, his neighbor was tormented by a dull anger. “This is unfair,” he thought. “For what merits he was laid at the window, and not me, and I can only see the door with peeling paint, while he admires the view from the window.”
One day, the man lying by the window coughed violently and began to choke. He tried to reach the nurse call button, but he didn't have the strength because he was shaking from coughing. A neighbor watched what was happening. It didn't cost him anything to press his button, but he didn't. After a while, the first one calmed down and stretched out on his bed. When he was carried away, the neighbor asked the nurse to move him to the window. The nurse complied with the patient's request, remade his bed, helped him lie down on the opposite bed, and, making sure that the patient was comfortable, headed to the door. Suddenly she was stopped by the surprised exclamation of the patient:
- How so! This window faces a blank gray wall! But the one who died told me that he saw a forest, a lake, clouds, people... How could he see all this from this window?
The nurse smiled sadly:
“He couldn’t see anything at all; your late neighbor was blind.
- But why does he?..
“He probably just wanted to cheer you up a little.”
Aphorisms and quotes about kindness
There is arrogance of kindness that has the appearance of malice. Friedrich Nietzsche
Being kind is noble. But showing others how to be kind is even nobler and less troublesome. Mark Twain
In a good deed there is always both kindness and strength to perform it. Charles Louis Montesquieu
Great people are capable of great kindness. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
In the inner world of a person, kindness is the sun. V. Hugo
Every good deed carries its own reward. Alexandr Duma
The benefit of a good deed is that you took advantage of the opportunity to do it. Seneca
To the vile, both kindness and wisdom seem vile; dirt - only dirt to taste. William Shakespeare
Even politeness is offensive if it is emphasized too much. Gracian
When you do good, be grateful for it. L.N. Tolstoy
Virtue in a person should have the quality of a precious stone, which invariably retains its natural beauty, no matter what happens to it. Marcus Aurelius
Kindness is a quality, the excess of which does not harm. D. Galsworthy
Kindness is the only garment that never wears out. Henry David Thoreau
Kindness is something that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Mark Twain
Kindness is a language that the dumb can speak and that the deaf can hear. P. Bovey
Kindness will always prevail over beauty. Heinrich Heine
Kindness is for the soul what health is for the body: it is invisible when you own it, and it gives success in every endeavor. L.N. Tolstoy
Kindness is better than beauty. Heinrich Heine
The kindness expressed to us by any person binds us to him. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Kindness that does not have any evil or selfish beginning in it is empty, sleepy kindness. Jacob Boehme
Kindness can often cause harm, so when you want to do good, think it over carefully. Hong Zichen
The soul that has committed betrayal perceives any surprise as the beginning of retribution. F. Iskander
If you can teach a person goodness and don’t do it, you are losing your brother. Chinese wisdom
If you are not consciously kind to everyone, you will often be unconsciously cruel to many. D. Ruskin
Natural kindness is an extremely valuable quality. Samuel Johnson
The life of evil people is full of worries. D. Diderot
Evil, like a wave, hits the shore and returns. G. Senkevich
Of all the virtues and virtues of the soul, the greatest virtue is kindness. F. Bacon
True humanity and kindness hide the bitter truth from loving eyes. Anthony Ashley Cooper Shaftesbury
As soon as we want to demonstrate virtue, it disappears. Kay
He who is kind only in words is doubly unworthy. Publius Syrus
He who does not have an exalted soul is not capable of kindness: only good nature is available to him. Nicolas-Sebastian Chamfort
The best thing about good deeds is the desire to conceal them. B. Pascal
A wise man is distressed by his powerlessness to do the good he desires, but is not distressed by the fact that people do not know him or judge him falsely. Chinese wisdom
We know from experience how great the difference is between piety and kindness. Blaise Pascal
Punishment does not escape the scoundrel - it only sometimes gives him a reprieve. Publius Syrus
It is impossible to do evil to others without doing it to yourself.
It is not enough to be kind, you also need to be tactful. A.F. Amiel
Give the world the best that is in you, and the best that is in the world will return to you!
Try to be at least a little kinder - and you will see that you will not be able to commit a bad act. Confucius
Try to be at least a little kinder - and you will see that you will not be able to commit a bad act. Confucius
Above all, be kind; kindness disarms most people. Lacordaire
Contempt is a mask that covers insignificance, sometimes mental squalor: contempt is a sign of a lack of kindness, intelligence and understanding of people. Alphonse Daudet
The most beautiful music of the soul is kindness. Romain Rolland
You can resist anything, but not kindness. J.-J. Rousseau
The joy we bring to another is captivating because it not only does not fade, like any reflection, but returns to us even brighter. V. Hugo
The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer someone else up. Mark Twain
No matter how much evil you see in life, you cannot lose your goodwill towards people. Ali Absheroni
How much kindness there is in a person, so much life there is in him. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your own soul grows and is purified only by the power of the kindness that the heart exudes to those you meet. K. Antarova
The means to combat evil sometimes turn out to be worse than the evil itself. Publius Syrus
Strange! A person is indignant at the evil that comes from outside, from others - that which he cannot eliminate, and does not fight against his own evil, although this is in his power. Marcus Aurelius
Since it is impossible to avoid the results of our actions, let us do good deeds. Buddha
It's so easy to be kind. You just need to imagine yourself in the place of another person before you start judging him. Marlene Dietrich
Just step off the path of good, and before you know it, you’ll get stuck in evil. L.N. Tolstoy
To those who have not comprehended the science of good, any other science brings only harm. M. Montaigne
You need to be a good, kind person, not seem to be. Ali Absheroni
A person increases his happiness to the extent that he gives it to others. Bentham
To believe in goodness, you need to start doing it. L.N. Tolstoy
This is not virtue, but only a deceptive cast and likeness of it, when we are led to the fulfillment of duty by the expectation of reward. Cicero
I know of no other signs of superiority other than kindness. Ludwig van Beethoven
I will never regret doing a good deed. William Shakespeare
Creativity has been known since ancient times, and it has always been used as a powerful means of education. The reason is that the stories underlying each parable for children are as close as possible to real life and therefore understandable to everyone. They also help to identify vices without directly condemning a specific person. Let's remember the most interesting of them and see how you can use them for educational purposes when communicating with children.
About the bad and the good
Once two friends were walking through the desert. Tired from the long journey, they argued and one rashly slapped the other. The comrade endured the pain and did not say anything in response to the offender. I just wrote in the sand: “Today I received a slap in the face from a friend.”
A few more days passed, and they found themselves at an oasis. They began to swim, and the one who received the slap almost drowned. The first comrade came to the rescue in time. Then the second carved an inscription on the stone, saying that his best friend saved him from death. Seeing this, his comrade asked him to explain his actions. And the second replied: “I made an inscription in the sand about the offense so that the wind would quickly erase it. And about salvation - he carved it in stone so that he would never forget about what happened.”
This parable about friendship for children will help them understand that bad things cannot be kept in memory for a long time. But the good deeds of other people should never be forgotten. And one more thing - you need to value your friends, since in difficult times it is they who often find themselves next to a person.
About love for mother
Equally important are the relationships between family members. We often explain to children that they should show respect to their parents and take care of them. But parables for children, like the one below, will say everything better than any words.
An old man and three women were sitting by the well, and three boys were playing next to them. The first one says: “My son has such a voice that everyone will be heard.” The second boasts: “And mine can show such figures - you’ll be amazed.” And only the third is silent. The old man turns to her: “Why don’t you tell about your son?” And she replies: “Yes, there is nothing unusual about him.”
So the women fetched buckets full of water, and the old man stood up with them. They hear: the first boy sings and sounds like a nightingale. The second one walks around them like a wheel. And only the third approached the mother, took the heavy buckets and carried them home. The first two women ask the old man: “How do you like our sons?” And he answers: “Where are they? I only see one son.”
It is these short parables for children, close to life and understandable to everyone, that will teach children to truly appreciate their parents and show the true value of family relationships.
Lie or tell the truth?
Continuing the topic, we can recall another wonderful story.
Three boys were playing in the forest and did not notice how evening came. They were afraid that they would be punished at home, and began to think about what to do. Should I tell my parents the truth or lie? And that's how it all turned out. The first one came up with a story about a wolf attacking him. His father would be afraid for him, he decided, and would forgive him. But at that moment the forester came and reported that they did not have any wolves. The second one told his mother that he had come to see his grandfather. Lo and behold, he’s already on the threshold. This revealed the lies of the first and second boys, and as a result they were punished twice. First for being guilty, and then for lying. And only the third came home and told everything how it happened. His mother made a little noise and soon calmed down.
Such parables for children prepare them for the fact that lying only complicates the situation. Therefore, in any case, it is better not to come up with excuses and not to hide your guilt in the hope that everything will work out, but to immediately admit the wrongdoing. This is the only way to maintain the trust of your parents and not feel remorse.
About two wolves
It is equally important to teach a child to see the boundary between good and evil. These are two moral categories that will always accompany a person, and, perhaps, fight in his soul. Among the large number of instructive stories on this topic, the parable of two wolves seems to be the most understandable and interesting for children.
One day, an inquisitive grandson asked his grandfather, the leader of the tribe:
Why do bad people appear?
To this the elder gave a wise answer. Here's what he said:
There are no bad people in the world. But every person has two sides: dark and light. The first is the desire for love, kindness, compassion, mutual understanding. The second symbolizes evil, selfishness, hatred, destruction. Like two wolves, they constantly fight each other.
“I see,” the boy answered. - Which one of them wins?
“It all depends on the person,” the grandfather concluded. - The wolf that is fed the most always wins.
This parable about good and evil for children will make it clear: the person himself is responsible for much that happens in life. Therefore, it is necessary to think about all your actions. And wish for others only what you wish for yourself.
Oh hedgehog
Another question that adults often ask: “How to explain to a child that you can’t blindly trust everyone around you?” How to teach him to analyze the situation and only then make a decision? In this case, parables for young children similar to this one will come to the rescue.
Once a fox and a hedgehog met. And the red-haired woman, licking her lips, advised her interlocutor to go to the hairdresser and get a fashionable “tortoiseshell” hairstyle. “Thorns are not in fashion these days,” she added. The hedgehog was delighted with such care and set off. It’s good that he met an owl on the way. Having learned where, why and on whose advice he was going, the bird said: “Don’t forget to ask to be smeared with cucumber lotion and refreshed with carrot water.” “Why is this?” - the hedgehog didn’t understand. “And so that the fox can eat you better.” So, thanks to the owl, the hero realized that not every piece of advice can be trusted. And yet, not every “kind” word is sincere.
Who is stronger?
Often parables resemble folk tales, especially if the heroes are forces of nature endowed with human qualities. Here is one such example.
The wind and the sun argued which of them was stronger. Suddenly they see a passerby walking. The wind says: “Now I’ll tear off his cloak.” He blew with all his might, but the passer-by only wrapped himself tighter in his clothes and continued on his way. Then the sun began to warm up. And the man first lowered his collar, then untied his belt, and finally took off his cloak and threw it over his arm. This is how it happens in our lives: with affection and warmth you can achieve more than with shouts and force.
About the Prodigal Son
Now we quite often turn to the Bible and find in it answers to many moral questions. In this regard, it is necessary to especially note the parables given in it and told by Jesus Christ. They will tell children more about goodness and the need for forgiveness than long instructions from their parents.
Everyone knows the story of the prodigal son, who took his share of the inheritance from his father and left home. At first he led a cheerful, idle life. But the money soon ran out, and the young man was ready to eat even with the pigs. But he was driven out from everywhere, as a terrible famine struck the country. And the sinful son remembered his father. He decided to go home, repent and ask to become a mercenary. But the father, seeing his son returned, was happy. He raised him from his knees and ordered a feast. This offended the older brother, who told his father: “I’ve been next to you all my life, and you even spared a kid for me. He squandered all his wealth, and you ordered a fattened bull to be slaughtered for him.” To which the wise old man replied: “You are always with me, and everything I have will go to you. You need to rejoice in the fact that your brother seemed to have died, but now he has come to life, was lost and has been found.”
Problems? Everything is solvable
Orthodox parables are very instructive for older children. For example, the story of the miraculous rescue of a donkey is popular. Here are its contents.
One peasant's donkey fell into a well. The owner pushed. Then I thought: “The donkey is already old, and the well is dry. I’ll cover them with earth and solve two problems at once.” I called my neighbors and they got to work. After a while, the peasant looked into the well and saw an interesting picture. The donkey threw the earth falling from above off its back and crushed it with its feet. Soon the well was filled, and the animal was at the top.
This is how it happens in life. The Lord often sends us seemingly insurmountable trials. At such a moment, it is important not to despair and not give up. Then it will be possible to find a way out of any situation.
Five important rules
And in general, you don’t need much to become happy. Sometimes it is enough to follow a few simple rules that are understandable to a child. Here they are:
- drive out hatred from your heart and learn to forgive;
- avoid unnecessary worries - more often than not they do not come true;
- live simply and appreciate what you have;
- give more to others;
- For yourself, expect less.
These wise sayings, on which many parables for children and adults are based, will teach you to be more tolerant of others and enjoy everyday life.
a wise man
In conclusion, I would like to turn to the text of another parable for children. It is about a traveler who settled in an unfamiliar village. The man loved children very much and constantly made unusual toys for them. So beautiful that you won’t find them at any fair. But they were all painfully fragile. The kid is playing around, and lo and behold, the toy is already broken. The child is crying, and the master is already giving him a new one, but even more fragile. The villagers asked the man why he was doing this. And the master replied: “Life is fleeting. Soon some person will give your child his heart. And it is very fragile. And I hope that my toys will teach your children to take care of this priceless gift.”
So, any parable prepares a child to meet our difficult life. It unobtrusively teaches you to think about each of your actions, to correlate them with the moral norms accepted in society. Makes it clear that spiritual purity, perseverance, and readiness to overcome any adversity will help you navigate the path of life with dignity.
Parables for social studies lessons.
Parables for social studies lessons for the motivational-target stage.
Parable of the Pencil e.Before putting the pencil into the box, the pencil maker put it aside.
“There are five things you must know,” he said to the pencil, “before I send you out into the world.” Always remember them and never forget them, and you will become the best penciler you can be.
First, you can do many great things, but only if you allow Someone to hold you in their hand.
Second, you will experience painful sharpening from time to time, but it will be necessary to become a better penciler.
Third: you will be able to correct the mistakes you make.
Fourth: your most important part will always be within you.
And fifth: no matter what surface you are used on, you must always leave your mark. Regardless of your condition, you must continue to write.
Pencil understood and promised to remember this. He was placed in a box with a calling in his heart.
Two wolves.
Once upon a time, an old Indian revealed one vital truth to his grandson.
- There is a struggle in every person, very similar to the struggle of two wolves. One wolf represents evil - envy, jealousy, regret, selfishness, ambition, lies... The other wolf represents good - peace, love, hope, truth, kindness, loyalty...
The little Indian, touched to the depths of his soul by his grandfather’s words, thought for a few moments, and then asked:
- Which wolf wins in the end?
The old Indian smiled faintly and replied:
- The wolf you feed always wins.
Mirror room.
In the palace of one very rich khan there was a mirror room. All the walls, floor and ceiling were made of mirrors.
One day a dog walked into this hall and froze to the spot. Dogs surrounded her on all sides. She bared her teeth. The mirrors repeatedly reflected her grin, and the dogs around also showed their fangs. The dog barked in horror, and the echo again reflected its bark many times. All night the dog rushed around the hall, barking and lunging at imaginary mirror enemies.
In the morning she was found dead. But everything could have turned out differently if she had been a little friendlier and extended her paw and wagged her tail welcomingly, instead of an evil grin.
Moral: the world is a big mirror that reflects your inner world and gives you back your attitude towards life. If you want to be surrounded by warm and bright people and events, become warm and bright yourself. Smile - and the whole world around you will smile back at you!
Candle.
A woman came to the temple, purchased a candle, confidently lit it and placed it in a candlestick. But as soon as I started reading the prayer, it went out. The woman was embarrassed, turned on the light again and carefully put it in its place. Before she even had time to say a few words, the light went out again. Getting seriously excited, she carefully took it again and slowly brought the wick to one of the burning candles. It crackled, but lit up. The woman slowly placed her on an empty seat and, without taking her eyes off her, began to read a prayer. Then the light began to diminish again and went out, sending up a stream of smoke. Panic, fear, bewilderment - everything mixed together! She rushed to the priest:
- Holy father! My candle keeps going out. Has the Lord really turned his back on me and doesn’t want to hear my prayer? Or am I so sinful that my sacrifice is not pleasing to Him? What should I do?!
- Take another candle. You got a defective one,” he smiled back at her.
Good and evil.
When creating the fresco “The Last Supper,” Leonardo da Vinci faced a huge difficulty: he had to depict Good, embodied in the image of Jesus, and Evil in the image of Judas, who decided to betray him at this meal.
Leonardo interrupted his work in the middle and resumed it only after he had found the ideal models. Once, when the artist was present at a choir performance, he saw a perfect image of Christ in one of the young singers and, inviting him to his workshop, made several sketches and studies from him. Three years have passed. The Last Supper was almost completed, but Leonardo had not yet found a suitable model for Judas. The cardinal in charge of painting the cathedral was urging him to finish the fresco as soon as possible.
And after many days of searching, the artist saw a man lying in a gutter - young, but prematurely decrepit, dirty, drunk and ragged. There was no time left for sketches, and Leonardo ordered his assistants to deliver him directly to the cathedral, which they did. With great difficulty they dragged him there and put him on his feet. He didn’t really understand what was happening, but Leonardo captured on canvas the sinfulness, selfishness, and wickedness that his face breathed. When he finished the work, the beggar, who by this time had already sobered up a little, opened his eyes, saw the canvas in front of him and cried out in fear and anguish:
- I've already seen this picture before!
- When? - Leonardo asked in bewilderment.
- Three years ago, before I lost everything. At that time, when I sang in the choir, and my life was full of dreams, some artist painted Christ from me.
Sufi parable about good and evil.
Mohammed once said to Wabishah: “Isn’t it true that you came to ask me what is good and what is evil?” “Yes,” he answered. “That’s exactly what I came for.” Then Mohammed dipped his fingers in the ointment, touched his hand with them, making a sign in the direction of the heart, and said: “Good is what gives your heart firmness and tranquility, and evil is what plunges you into doubt, even in such a time when other people make excuses for you.”
Good, Evil and Truth.
"Good and evil sit side by side - you can't tell them apart with a simple glance"
Once upon a time there were two brothers - twins. The name of one of them was Dobro. The second one was called Evil. They were as similar as two peas in a pod. Nobody could distinguish them. Even they themselves sometimes did not know who was who. And when they called out Evil, Good responded. And when called: - Welcome! - Evil could respond.
The brothers loved each other very much, and, as is often the case with twins, they lived in perfect harmony. They played their childhood games and shared victories and defeats equally. Even at school they received the same grades, the same punishments and the same rewards
They grew up, beautiful and carefree, and it seemed that nothing could disturb the harmony of their brotherly friendship.
But suddenly they met a girl named Pravda,
and both fell head over heels in love with her. Pravda liked both guys. After all, they were so similar that it was completely impossible to distinguish them.
She didn't know how to choose between them and rushed from one to the other. She loved them both. And I never knew who I was spending time with.
For the first time, a black cat ran between the brothers. Her name was Jealousy. Jealousy had sharp claws, and with them she scratched both brothers.
Neither of them could come to terms with the fact that his beloved could belong to another. They argued among themselves and each proved to her that he was right - how each deserved her love more than the other. Dobro told how many good deeds he had done. Who he helped, who he saved from trouble.
And Evil explained that it was worth nothing, since it was impossible to correct the world by performing charitable acts, often thinking that it was helping, Good caused even greater evil. He gave examples such as the fact that, having given alms to a beggar tramp, one cannot know for sure whether he will not use it to harm himself and others. For example, he gets drunk and causes a road accident in which people get hurt.
On the other hand, he, Evil, having caused harm to someone, for example, by stealing something, perhaps taught Razinya to be more vigilant, and having quarreled with another, taught him to take a sober view of events, pushed him to think. It turned out that Good sometimes turned into evil, and Evil turned into good.
Poor Truth couldn't decide which of them was right. Everyone seemed to have their own truth. Seeing their suffering, old lady Justice decided to intervene. She had seen a lot in her lifetime and knew that there was no absolute truth in the world.
- Everyone has their own, because everyone loves themselves first. And everyone will always defend their truth. Only by loving another as yourself can you look at the world with different eyes and see the real truth, and then, in one second, evil can turn into good, and good can turn into evil.
Evil and Good listened to her and understood that they were destined to always be close. And people always argue about which one is which? And Truth rushes between them, not knowing whom to choose.
Parable from Vladimir Tantsyura
Fire.
Kierkegaard in his book "Either - Or" tells the following parable:
“In one theater a fire started behind the scenes. A clown came out to announce it to the public. Everyone thought it was a joke and began to applaud. He repeated - the applause was louder. I think the world will perish with everyone’s applause.”
Bucket of apples.
A man bought himself a new house - large, beautiful - and a garden with fruit trees near the house. And nearby, in an old house, there lived an envious neighbor who constantly tried to ruin his mood: either he would throw garbage under the gate, or he would do some other nasty things.
One day a man woke up in a good mood, went out onto the porch, and there was a bucket of slop. The man took a bucket, poured out the slop, cleaned the bucket until it shined, collected the largest, ripest and most delicious apples into it and went to his neighbor. The neighbor, hearing a knock on the door, thought maliciously: “Finally, I got him!” He opens the door in the hope of a scandal, and the man handed him a bucket of apples and said:
- He who is rich in what, shares it!
Parable about laws.
One wise king was asked: how many laws does a country need for well-being and prosperity?
“Only three,” answered the king.
- First law: sickles and swords must sparkle like a mirror.
Second law: the road to the court must be covered with green grass.
And the third law: the thresholds of God's temples must be worn out.
True value.
One day, one man returned home late from work, tired and nervous as always, and saw that his five-year-old son was waiting for him at the door.
- Dad, can I ask you something?
- Of course, what happened?
- Dad, how much do you get?
- It's none of your business! - the father was indignant. - And then, why do you need this?
- I just want to know. Please, tell me, how much do you get per hour?
- Well, actually, 500. So what?
- Dad-son looked up at him with very serious eyes. –
Dad, can you borrow me 300?
- Did you ask just so that I would give you money for some stupid toy? - he shouted. - Immediately go to your room and go to bed! You can't be so selfish! I work all day, I’m terribly tired, and you’re acting so stupid.
The kid quietly went to his room and closed the door behind him. And his father continued to stand in the doorway and get angry at his son’s requests. How dare he ask me about my salary and then ask for money? But after some time, he calmed down and began to think sensibly: Maybe he really needs to buy something very important. To hell with them, with three hundred, he’s never even once asked me for money. When he entered the nursery, his son was already in bed.
-Are you awake, son? - he asked.
- No, dad. “I’m just lying,” the boy answered.
“I think I answered you too rudely,” said the father. - I had a hard day and I just lost it. I'm sorry. Here, have the money you asked for. The boy sat up in bed and smiled.
- Oh, dad, thank you! - he exclaimed joyfully.
He then reached under the pillow and pulled out several more crumpled bills. His father, seeing that the child already had money, became angry again. And the baby put all the money together, and carefully counted the bills, and then looked at his father again.
- Why did you ask for money if you already have it? - he grumbled.
- Because I didn't have enough. But now that’s just enough for me,” the child answered.
- Dad, there are exactly five hundred here. Can I buy one hour of your time? Please come home early from work tomorrow, I want you to have dinner with us...
The main task of the teacher.
One day, students asked Hing Shi what his main task as a Teacher was. The sage smiled and said:
- Tomorrow you will learn about it.
The next day, the disciples were going to spend some time at the foot of the mountain, which the locals called the Immortal Mountain, Xian Yue. Early in the morning, the students collected things that could be useful to them on the road and together they went to the foot of Xian Yue, which they had never visited before.
By lunchtime, tired and hungry, they reached a picturesque hillock and, stopping for a rest, decided to dine on rice and salted vegetables, which the Teacher had taken with him. It should be noted that the sage salted the vegetables very generously, and therefore after some time the disciples became thirsty. But, as luck would have it, it turned out that all the water they had taken with them had already run out. Then the disciples got up and began to examine the surroundings in search of a fresh spring.
Only Hing Shi did not rise from his seat and did not participate in the search. As a result, having not found a source of water, the students decided to return back, but then the sage stood up and, approaching them, said:
- The source you are looking for is over that hill.
The disciples joyfully hurried there, found a source and, having quenched their thirst, returned to the Teacher, bringing water for him. Hing Shi refused the water, pointing to the vessel standing at his feet - it was almost full.
- Teacher, why didn’t you let us drink right away if you had water? - the students were amazed.
“I fulfilled my task,” answered the sage, “first I awakened a thirst in you, which forced you to search for a source, just as I awaken in you a thirst for knowledge.” Then, when you despaired, I showed you which direction the source was, thereby supporting you. Well, by taking more water with me, I gave you an example that what you want can be very close, you just need to take care of it in advance, thereby not allowing chance or forgetfulness to influence your plans...
- So, the main task of the Teacher is to awaken thirst, support and set the right example? - asked the students.
“No,” said Hing Shi, “the main task of the Teacher is to cultivate humanity and kindness in the student,” he smiled and continued, “and the water you brought for me tells me that so far I am fulfilling my main task correctly.”
People passed on their most valuable experience through thousands of chronicles and stories. Gathering around the wisest person in the family, the children adopted the experience and wisdom of existence. People all over the world tried to find a teacher or sage who was able to guide them. Today, the wisest parables have not lost their relevance and continue to help a person in a difficult situation gain wisdom, peace and understanding of life.
What is a parable?
A parable is not just stories about life, but entire instructive stories inherited from our ancestors. The wisest parables were passed down from generation to generation, from mouth to mouth. Each parable can completely change a person’s consciousness and teach him something new. There is no intricate plot in such stories. Absolutely every person can understand and feel the parable. Sometimes, when making a decision, a person turns to the narrative of his ancestors for help and is sure to find all the answers.
Why are parables needed?
They are the most effective means for training and development. Such instructive stories can cultivate spirituality in children and reveal to them all the laws of life and existence. Regardless of how old it is, even the most ancient parable can still be relevant in the modern world. Some may think that parables are stupid and incomprehensible, but this does not mean that they are bad.
Perhaps the parable you read does not suit you at all. Parables about life, wise parables, parables about good and evil - all this is a whole complex of instructive stories based on real events. And when a person is immersed in his own problems, it is often parables that become a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.
Parables about good and evil
The parable of good and evil will help you understand what these two concepts are. And what to choose for a person who stands at the crossroads of two strongest elements. Often a person thinks that in the modern world only evil wins, and good is absolutely not valued. To draw the right conclusions for yourself, you should turn to the ancient stories of your ancestors.
In time immemorial, one old man decided to tell his grandson a very life story. Here she is.
In the life of every person there is a strong confrontation, similar to a war between two furious wolves. The first wolf carries destructive feelings such as anger, fear, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and lies. The second, on the contrary, brings goodness, peace, hope, love. The little boy became very interested in this story, and he hastened to ask his grandfather which wolf wins this difficult fight? The wise old man explained to his grandson that it is the wolf that the man himself feeds and cherishes that wins.
The moral of this parable is very simple: if a person himself tries to develop evil qualities in himself, then they will prevail. In fact, a person himself chooses what to be - evil or good. Parables about life are wise and philosophical. They help a person find a bright path.
All the evil committed by a person remains with him, and the good given is returned to him
One poor woman in India baked a couple of flatbreads every morning. She left one for the family, and gave the second to a random passerby. She left the baked goods on the windowsill, and anyone could just come up and try the cake. Leaving the cake, the woman began to pray for her son, who left his father’s house in search of a new destiny. This went on for several months.
Soon she noticed that every morning a man with a hump came and took the cake from the windowsill. He often said to himself: “All the evil you do remains with you forever, but the good comes back threefold,” and left. The woman did not hear the slightest kind words. Offended by the hunchback, the poor woman decided to teach him a lesson. She poured poison into the second cake, wishing to get rid of the ungrateful guest forever. But as soon as she began to take the cake to the window, her hands began to tremble. She could not do this and threw the cake into the flame. Having prepared a new one, she took it to the windowsill. As usual, the hunchback came and, having said his words, continued on his way.
Soon there was a knock on the woman’s house, and her son was standing on the threshold. The guy was very thin and dirty. He told his mother that he almost reached home, but was so exhausted that he fell from exhaustion. A passing hunchback took pity on him and gave him a flatbread, and this helped the guy get home. Hearing this, the mother's heart trembled.
This parable is about goodness, which clearly shows the laws of nature. People who do good always receive good in return. And those who do evil are surrounded only by evil.
Parables about morality
The wisest parables always help a person find the true path. The most interesting stories cannot leave a single person indifferent. A parable about morality helps a person to feel the truth of existence and his own spirituality. Here is one of them.
There was a tree not far from the road. It was dried out and withered. At night, a thief was passing along the road, and when he saw a tree, he got scared, thinking that the police had come for him. The child, walking next to the tree, trembled all over, he thought that this ghost was watching him. The young man, hurrying on a date, thought that the tree was his beloved. But in all cases, the tree was just a tree.
The moral of this parable is that everyone sees exactly what is inside him - a reflection of his own inner world.
And here is another parable on this topic.
One day the teacher gathered his students around him, took a piece of paper and drew a small black dot on it. He asked the guys to tell him what they saw. Without thinking twice, the students said that they saw an ordinary black dot. To which the teacher said: “Don’t you notice the white sheet? After all, the dot is so small, but the white sheet is so big.”
The same thing happens in life: a person most often pays attention to the bad moments. And the fact that in addition to this little blackness there are many more good moments, he does not see point-blank.
And finally, a very small, but no less significant piece of wisdom.
One student asked the sage what he would do if he knew about his fall? The sage, without thinking twice, replied that he would order him to get up again. And so on ad infinitum. After all, only the dead fall and do not rise.
Parables about life
The wisest parables about life help not only to understand the hidden essence of existence, but also to guide a person in the right direction, forcing him to think about the main thing.
The little goat, having lost his herd, got lost. Seeing this, a huge gray wolf chased after him. Turning to the wolf, the kid said: “Listen wolf, I understand that I am your prey. But I don’t just want to die, I want to dance. Play the pipe for me, and I’ll dance.” The wolf, without thinking twice, took the pipe and began to play, and the little goat began to dance merrily. Hearing the music, the dogs rushed into the forest to save the kid and chased the wolf far, far away. The wolf, turning around, shouted to the kid: “Serves me right, there is no need to turn from a hunter into a musician.”
The frogs set out in search of a home after their swamp dried up. They came across a well. One, without thinking twice, jumped down, and the other said: “And if this well dries up, how will we jump out of there?”
The moral of this parable is that you should not take on a task without thinking.
About parents
This section of parables is the most instructive. Often people do not appreciate those who gave them life. The parable about parents will allow a person to rethink his attitude towards the closest people in his life.
One fine day, a little boy, returning from school, gave his mother a note from the teacher. The woman took a piece of paper, began to read and burst into tears. Then she read the contents of the letter to her son. It said that the child was a real genius, that there were no teachers at school who could help develop his talent. Therefore, the boy was provided with home schooling. Many years later. After the woman’s death, the now adult son was looking through the family archives and saw a letter. After reading it, he cried for several days. It was written there that the boy was recognized as mentally retarded. And they recommended that the mother take her child away from school. This child was Thomas Edison and by the time the letter was read, he was already a famous inventor.
Wise Christian parables
The wisest parables about the Christian life will help readers find faith and inspiration.
One day, an old man was walking through the hot desert and leading a blind old woman. They had neither water nor food. Suddenly an oasis appears in front of them with a Garden of Eden, water and food. A nobleman meets them at the garden gate. And he invites the old man to visit his corner of paradise, but there is no place for a blind old woman in paradise. The old man did not listen and walked away from the garden. Soon they came to an old hut. The owner of the house fed and watered the travelers and said: “This is your paradise, people are allowed into such a paradise who did not betray their own and did not leave them to die.”
Everyday parable
Wise everyday parables arose from the stories of ancestors who found instructive moments during ordinary everyday activities.
One loving couple moved to a new apartment. Every time, hanging out the laundry, the woman exclaimed in surprise: “Lord, our neighbor doesn’t know how to wash her laundry at all, it’s always gray, not like ours.” And this happened constantly. The woman was always surprised and wanted to visit her neighbor and teach her how to do laundry properly. One morning, a woman exclaimed: “Darling! Look! She learned how to wash her clothes. They are snow-white. She has finally learned how to wash.”
- “You’re wrong, dear. I just washed the window.”
There are countless different parables in the world. The wise parables of Omar Khayyam occupy an important niche among all the wisest centuries-old records. Their essence speaks of the greatest experience of the one who created them. There are also wise parables of antiquity, parables in verse and prose, and others. In every parable a person can find a truth that can change his worldview, make him laugh, wonder or cry.