True Friends

One morning, the mongol warrior, Genghis Khan, and his court went out hunting. His companions carried bows and arrows, but Genghis Khan carried on his arm his favorite falcon, which was better and surer than any arrow, because it could fly up into the skies and see everything that a human could not.


However, despite the group's enthusiastic efforts, they found nothing.

Disappointed, Genghis Khan returned to the encampment and in order not to take out his frustation on his companions, he left the rest of the party and rode on alone. They had stayed in the forest for longer than expected, and Khan was desperately tired and thirsty. In the summer heat, all the streams had dried up, and he could find nothing to drink. Then, to his amazement, he saw a thread of water flowing from a rock just in front of him.



He removed the falcon from his arm, and took out the silver cup which he always carried with him. It was very slow to fill and, just as he was about to raise it to his lips the falcon flew up, plucked the cup from his hand, and dashed it to the ground.


Genghis Khan was furious, but then the falcon was his favourite, and perhaps it, too, was thirsty. He picked up the cup, cleaned off the dirt, and filled it again. When the cup was only half-empty this time, the falcon again attacked it, spilling the water.


Genghis Khan adored this bird, but he knew that he could not, under any circumstances, allow such disrespect; someone might be watching this scene from afar and, later on, would tell his warriors that the great conqueror was incapable of taming a mere bird.


This time he drew his sword, pick up the cup and refilled it, keeping one eye on the stream and the other on the falcon. as soon as he had enough water in the cup and was ready to drink, the falcon again took flight and flew towards him. Khan, with one thrust, pierced the bird's breast.


The thread of water, however, had dried up; but Khan, determined now to find something to drink, climbed the rock in search of the spring. To his surprise, there really was a pool of water and, in the middle of it, dead, lay one of the most poisonous snakes in the region. If he had drunk the water, he, too, would have died.


Khan returned to camp with the dead falcon in his arms. He ordered a gold figurine of the bird to be made and on one of the wings, he had engraved:




"Even when a friend does something you do not like, he continues to be your friend."


And on the other wing, he had these words engraved:




"Any action commited in anger is an action doomed to failure"

-PC

The Cracked Jar (by Paulo Coehlo)

An Indian legend tells the story of a man who carried water to his village every day, in two large jars tied to the ends of a wooden pole, which he balanced on his back.

One of the jars was older than the other, and had some small cracks. Every time the man covered the distance to his home, half the water was lost.

The younger jar was very proud of its performance, safe in the knowledge that it was up for the mission it had been made for, while the other jar was mortified with shame at fulfilling only half its allotted task.

It was so ashamed that one day, while the man got ready to fetch water from the well, it spoke to him.

“I want to apologize, but because of the many years of service, you are only able to deliver half my load, and quench half of the thirst that awaits at your home.”

The man smiled and said, “When we return, watch the path carefully.”

And so the jar did, and it noticed that, on its side, flowers and plants grew.

“See how nature is more lovely on your side?” the man commented. “I always knew you were cracked, and decided to make use of this fact.

“I planted flowers and vegetables, and you have always watered them.

“I have picked many roses to decorate my house with, and have fed my children, cabbage, onions and tomatoes.

“If you were not how you are, how could I have done that?”

All of us, at some time, grow old and start to acquire other qualities. We can always make use of these new qualities and obtain wonderful results.