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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781491729984 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | iUniverse, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 05/23/2014 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 54 |
| File size: | 861 KB |
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Words Worth A Thousand Treasures
Meaningful Proverbs and Fables about Life's Important Lessons
By P. King
iUniverse LLC
Copyright © 2014 P. KingAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4917-2997-7
CHAPTER 1
BIG WAVE, LITTLE WAVE
All the waves were sitting at the shoreline watching each wave come in. As he was riding home, one of the small waves said to a big wave, "I wish I could be just like you. You look so magnificent coming toward us."
The big wave replied, "It doesn't matter if you are a big wave or a small wave. We are both made of water, and in the end, we will both reach the same shoreline."
Moral
There is no need to compare what you have or what you don't have with others. When our time is over, we cannot take anything with us.
My father always tells us, "You should always remember you are special in your own way, so make the best of who you are and what you can achieve."
CHAPTER 2DOG AND HIS REFLECTION
There was a little dog carrying a bone across a river. As he was crossing the water, he thought he saw another dog carrying a much larger bone. The dog quickly dropped his bone so he could chase the dog with the bigger one. However, the dog didn't realize that the other dog was actually his own reflection, and as he ran, the reflection ran as well. He chased and chased until he was away from the water and noticed the reflection disappeared.
Moral
The dog thought there was another dog with a larger bone, so he dropped his own bone and chased after a dog that really wasn't there. The life lesson here is that you shouldn't assume anything and you must be sure of a situation before acting upon it. Otherwise, you will be left with nothing.
CHAPTER 3MISHAP BECOMES GOOD OMEN
After fighting several wars, a man had won a group of horses. The man had worked hard to keep his horses home, but one by one, they ran away or were stolen from his farm.
A few months later, the ruler of the town did not want his people leaving and sent out a message that said, "Anyone who owns horses will be beheaded."
Moral
Life can be very interesting at times. When you least expect it, there might be good in something that is a misfortune. For example, after a bad rainstorm, when the sun shines again, you get to enjoy a beautiful rainbow. Situations happen for a reason; therefore, when something bad happens, it is better to see it in a positive light than stress yourself out even more.
This story is very similar to the saying "View the glass as half-full rather than half-empty."
CHAPTER 4PLANT A SEED, GET A FRUIT
Plant a seed, get a fruit (guo).
Where there is an action (yin), there will be consequences (guo).
Moral
The Chinese word yin means "element", in this case a seed, as well as "cause", and the Chinese word guo means "fruit" or "result".
This is an ancient saying that my father has implanted in my head since I was very young. He told me if I did not work hard and was not a good person, I would not have any rewards to look forward to, much like a seed, for if you do not water and feed the seed, it will not bear any fruit. (These two Chinese words are a version of Chinese homonyms. The word Yin sounds the same and spelled the same but the meaning is completely different when referring to "element" or "cause". Much like the word Guo which means both "fruit" or "result".)
CHAPTER 5WANT A CHICKEN? NO NEED TO THROW RICE
If you want a chicken, you don't have to throw rice at it.
Just the smell of rice will have the flock of chickens coming.
Moral
There is an old saying that if you want a chicken to follow you, you don't need to throw rice at it. Chickens can smell food close by and automatically come to it.
It is much the same with people. You don't have to tell people where a good restaurant is located; eventually the word gets out and everyone will want to go there to eat.
CHAPTER 6SNAKE HEAD, SNAKE TAIL
One day the snake tail said to the snake head, "I am so mad right now."
The head asked, "Why?"
The tail replied, "Because I have to follow you everywhere you go. Why can't I lead you?"
So the head said, "Sure, I'll follow you for a day."
The tail was ecstatic and started off on their journey.
The tail didn't know where he was going but continued slithering up a cliff until something didn't feel right. The tail and the head both started tumbling down the slope, causing scratches and bruises all over their body.
The head looked at the tail and said, "Are you sure you still want to lead? I've led you through so many adventures and never have we ended up getting hurt!"
Moral
Everyone wants to be better than the next person, but the fact that everyone is different plays a big factor in what you can or should do.
Don't take up a situation that you cannot handle even though it looks easy for someone else. You should have dreams of achieving the highest level that is fit for you. Achieving that goal or dream takes hard work and dedication, so you have to work at it.
My father constantly reminds me that I need to work hard but only do as much as I can handle, otherwise everything will be a mess and nothing will get accomplished.
CHAPTER 7THREE BOYS AT CAMP
There were three boys walking in the woods. Boy A and Boy B started having an argument and began fighting. Boy C looked at them and asked them to stop. So Boy A stopped, and they continued walking again up a steep hill. Within a few minutes, Boy C heard Boy A screaming from below. Boy C ran over to see what had happened and grabbed for Boy A's arm. Luckily Boy C was able to pull Boy A up. When Boy A came across a tree, he marked on it that Boy C had saved his life today.
As they descended the hill, they came across a beach. Boy A took a stick and decided to write something in the sand. He wrote, "Today Boy B hit me."
Boy C asked Boy A, "Why did you write that I saved you on a tree and that Boy B hit you in the sand?"
Boy A told Boy C, "Because I wish to remember all the good things forever, but I hope to wipe the bad things out of my mind just like the waves will sweep through the sand and wash the words away."
Moral
In life, it is better to remember all the good that has come to you or that you have encountered. Remembering all the bad things will just make your life more miserable and cause more stress. Life is already very stressful and troublesome, and remembering the bad things just creates more misery and is also unhealthy.
CHAPTER 8A BABY BORN
There was a baby getting ready to come to earth, but before entering the world, the baby was greeted by his guardian angel and asked if he was ready to go. The baby was a little nervous and said to the angel, "No, I'm a little scared, as I have heard many stories that earth is a very complex dimension and sometimes even dangerous, and I don't even speak their language."
The angel replied, "Not to worry. I have arranged everything for you, and when you arrive, there will be someone waiting for you to teach you the language."
The little baby thought for another minute and asked the angel, "What if I get sick? Who will care for me?"
The angel responded, "Don't worry, I have arranged for someone to take care of you in case you are sick as well."
The baby was a little relieved to hear that, but another question popped into his mind. "Angel, I have heard the world below has many bad people and many crimes are committed. Who will protect me?"
The angel responded, "Don't worry, my dear child, there will be someone there to protect you and prevent you from any harm. Now, don't worry so much, as it is time for you to be on your way."
The baby got ready and asked his last question. "So what are the names of these people you have arranged for me, and how will I know what they look like?"
The angel gave a little chuckle and said, "Their names are Da-da and Ma-ma, and when you open your eyes, you will see them."
Moral
Most of everyone is sent here with two protectors; our parents. The first word that most children learn to say is either da-da or ma-ma. It doesn't matter what nationality you are, those are the first words you say. With their parents' protection and guidance, children come into this world hoping to achieve their goals in life and to provide the same care for their young.
I am so thankful to my parents; they are the best protectors a child can have!
CHAPTER 9THE LION OR THE TIGER
In a jungle, all the animals gathered to determine which one was greater: the lion or the tiger? No one could figure it out, as both were feared. One day in the woods, the lion smelled a very strong odor of meat, so he began following the scent until he reached a small dead animal lying on the ground. At the same time, the tiger had also smelled the fragrant meat and arrived at the same time as the lion. They both stared into each other's eyes. The lion thought to himself, "Is this small piece of meat really worth dying for? If I risk my life and lose, then I will lose face and no longer be considered the king of the jungle." So the lion decided to retreat back to his home.
The next day, the lion happened to be taking a walk and smelled the odor of meat again. He walked slowly toward the dead animal and wondered why the meat was still there. Little did the lion know that the tiger had also pondered losing face and decided to walk away at the same time the lion did. This time the lion looked around to make sure the tiger was nowhere to be seen and took a step forward to grab the meat. Just then an eagle flew overhead and swept the small dead animal away, and in the end the lion was left with no food.
Moral
It doesn't matter what size you are but how clever you can be. The lion and tiger were both left with no food, but the eagle, who was quick on his feet, came in and took the food away. You shouldn't let people who are bigger than you be intimidating because they are probably just as scared as you are. If you are wise and able to outsmart the other person, that will determine who is greater. Use your brain, not your strength.
When I was younger, I would watch some of the Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan movies. They are always fighting someone who is two times larger, but in the end, Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan are the ones standing.
CHAPTER 10A MAN IN DESPAIR
There once was a man in a small village who no longer saw a purpose in life. He was always very sad and decided to take his life. So he went out to find a tall tree and climbed to the highest branch to get ready to jump off. As he was about to step foot off the tree, he heard a loud ringing sound. He looked around and saw that he was close to a school. Soon a little boy stood at the foot of the tree and asked, "Mister, why are you so high up in that tree?"
The man didn't want to tell the little boy the real reason he was in the tree, so he simply replied, "I am looking at the beautiful view from up here."
The little boy then responded, "Mister, can you jump a few times on that branch so that the fruit from this tree can fall down for us to eat?" Obeying the little boy's wish, the man jumped up and down a few times, and fruit started falling down to the boy's feet. Soon lots of little kids from the nearby school came over to pick up the fruit to eat. Everyone was so ecstatic that the man saw how his small deed had made these young children so happy. He felt a little better about himself and decided he no longer wanted to end his life.
Moral
In life, everyone has ups and downs, and it is how you make the most out of it to make yourself happy. Sometimes, making just one person smile will result in your own happiness.
I have learned that buying material things only make me content during that moment. However, when I do something nice for someone or make someone smile, that satisfaction stays with me forever. People always remember the nice things, and sometimes, it gets reciprocated and you get twice the happiness. Doing a good deed or putting a smile on someone's face may be more rewarding than buying yourself a tangible good.
CHAPTER 11SEVEN DAUGHTERS AND THE MISSING HAIRPIN
There was an emperor who had seven daughters and decided to buy each of them a beautiful hairpin. One day the eldest daughter was fixing her hair at the chiffonier and noticed her hairpin went missing. She was quite upset because she thought without the hairpin her father had given her, she would not be beautiful anymore. So she went to the second sister's room and borrowed her hairpin.
When the second princess started to get ready to go to town, she noticed her hairpin was missing, so she went to the third princess's room to take her hairpin. The third went to the fourth, the fourth went to the fifth, and so on. When it came down to the seventh princess, she went to her dresser and noticed her hairpin also was missing. However, the seventh princess did not mind that her hairpin was gone and felt even without her hairpin she would look just as pretty.
The next day, a handsome prince who lived nearby came to the emperor's home and said he had found a hairpin on the path near his home and figured it belonged to one of the seven princesses. Six of the seven daughters quickly gathered near the prince and said that that hairpin belonged to them. But the emperor asked, "How can you all say you lost it when you are wearing it?" When the seventh princess walked into the room, the prince saw that she didn't have her hairpin and quickly walked over to hand it back to her. The prince was smitten by her honesty and asked the father if he could take her out.
Moral
Whether you have lost something or not, you should not go to any length to steal someone else's things just so you are satisfied. In the end, nothing good will come out of it, and you will just cause yourself more trouble. If the eldest daughter had not taken the second sister's hairpin, she might have been the one to go out with the handsome prince.
The seventh princess understood that beauty lies within and didn't need a hairpin to justify her attractiveness, but she also knows that you don't take other people's things when you don't have your own. Perhaps the prince found these characteristics quite admirable.
CHAPTER 12PROTECTIVE MOTHER
There once lived a boy who loved getting into trouble. However, each time the boy got into trouble, his very protective mother would always bail him out. No matter what the situation was, the mother found a way to clear her son's name and make sure nothing bad happened to him.
One day, the son started a big argument with a young man and accidentally hit the boy too hard, which ended up killing him. Little did the boy know that the young man was a very important official's son. The mother went to the official's family and pleaded with them to forgive her son. She offered a monetary plea, but the official was so angry that he said her son must pay for his crime and be beheaded.
The son was scared and angry with his mother. He shouted at her, "You're the one who did this to me! If you hadn't protected me by bailing me out each time but rather punished me for getting into so much trouble, I would not be losing my life right now."
Moral
The fact that parents always try to keep their children out of harm's way is a natural instinct, but sometimes you need to know when to draw the line and let the child be punished for a crime that was committed. By shielding children from punishment, you are actually doing more harm because they will never learn right from wrong.
Punishment should be enforced from the start when children are young, so when they grow up, they know to not do wrong because everything has a consequence.
CHAPTER 13BIRD'S NEW HOME
A bird was trying to find a nice place to build her home so that her babies would not be harmed or eaten by predators. She had been flying for a few days and finally saw a big, shiny, rack-like structure that she felt was a safe place to build her nest, where they would not be disturbed.
Every day she flew high and low gathering twigs, leaves, and grass to make her home before she gave birth. Mama Bird and her children lived happily for a few weeks until the owner of the home began complaining that the television picture was becoming very scrambled. The bird had built her nest in a very high, secure place so predators wouldn't eat her children, but she didn't realize there were other enemies in the world besides animals.
Moral
Animals are like humans: they want to find a good, safe place to bring up their children just like every parent in the world. However, you can't always foresee the mishaps and predict what will go wrong as in the case of the Mama Bird. She thought building her nest way up high on the rooftop TV antenna would keep other animals away. However, she didn't think of the people who lived in the house. The lesson is don't just consider the short-term consequences but look at the big picture and always think long term; it will be a safer bet.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Words Worth A Thousand Treasures by P. King. Copyright © 2014 P. King. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction, 1,1. Big Wave, Little Wave, 2,
2. Dog and His Reflection, 4,
3. Mishap Becomes Good Omen, 6,
4. Plant a Seed, Get a Fruit, 8,
5. Want a Chicken No Need to Throw Rice, 10,
6. Snake Head, Snake Tail, 12,
7. Three Boys at Camp, 14,
8. A Baby Born, 16,
9. The Lion or the Tiger, 18,
10. A Man in Despair, 20,
11. Seven Daughters and the Missing Hairpin, 22,
12. Protective Mother, 24,
13. Bird's New Home, 26,
14. Act of Kindness, 28,
15. A Master and the Disciple, 30,
16. Looks Can Deceive, 32,
17. A Magic Candle, 34,
18. Heaven and Hell, 36,
19. Mr. Fox and Ms. Crane, 38,
20. The Golden Bird, 40,
21. Three Frogs in a Milk Bottle, 42,
Author's Note, 45,