Steven Gregory's Blog: Everything You Need to Know Can Be Found in Folktales, page 2
January 19, 2012
Follow Your Bliss...It Will Save Your Life
Joseph Campbell coined the phrase "Follow your bliss" and since then it has been used and overused by so many folks that Mr. Campbell probably wore a hole in a casket from turning over in it so much. But regardless of how trite the phrase has come to sound (like "love thy neighbor"), it still holds truth. We still need to follow our bliss. Not talk about it, or make a hobby of it, but really and truly follow it. "But I have to work!" you say. Follow your bliss. "I have responsibilities!" Follow your bliss.
On a very straightforward note, there is nothing -- repeat NOTHING -- that you are doing that is more important than following your bliss. We all have something we do (or want to do) because it just thrills us. Therefore, we have to do it. Want to make the world a better place? Follow your bliss. Want to be happy when you go to bed, when you wake up, and all day long? Follow your bliss. This concept also has roots in folk and fairy tales. One of my favorite Japanese tales is all about it, entitled "The Boy Who Drew Cats."
Long ago in a small village in Japan there lived a poor farmer and his wife. They had several children and found it hard to feed and clothe them all. The older son was able to help on the farm, and the girls learned to help their mother, but the younger son was small and weak, though very clever. So the young boy was given to a priest to become an acolyte. The young boy was very bright and learned quickly, but he had one fault. He liked to draw cats. He drew them when he should have been studying and saying his prayers. He drew them in books, on screens, and walls. He simply could not help himself. One day, after drawing some cats on a paper screen, the old priest told him that he must leave the temple as he would never become a good priest, but may one day be a great artist. His last words to the boy were, "Avoid large places at night; keep to small!"
Sadly, the young boy packed up his belongings and left the temple, pondering on the words of the priest. He was afraid to go home, but then remembered some miles away there was another temple. He decided to go there and ask to be an acolyte. What he did not know is that the temple had been closed as a goblin had come to live there. Some warriors had gone in to fight the goblin but had never been seen again. So it was to this temple that the young boy went. By the time he arrived, it was night and the village was dark. but there was a light in the temple, so he went there. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer, and eventually he pushed the door open and went it. He saw a lamp burning, but no priests. He was sure some priest would come soon, so he sat down to wait. As he sat, he noticed how dusty the entire temple was and how there were cobwebs everywhere. He was sure the priests would like an acolyte just to help clean the temple. And then he noticed some big white screens. Though the boy was tired, he was driven. He found a writing box, ground up some ink, and began to paint cats all over the screens.
He painted a great many cats, then grew sleepy. He was about to lie down beside one of the screens when the old priest's words came back to him: "Avoid large places at night; keep to small!" He then began to feel a little afraid and looked for somewhere small to sleep. At last he found a little cabinet and crawled inside, pulling the sliding door shut behind him, and fell asleep. Late in the night he was awakened by the the most frightful howling and shrieking along with the sounds of bodies crashing into walls and screens. The light in the temple went out, but the awful sounds continued. After what seemed a long time, the sounds finally stopped, but the boy was so terrified that he refused to move. In the morning, when the sun began to shine and he could see its light through the chinks of the sliding door, the boy finally crawled out of his hiding place and looked around. He first noticed that the floor of the temple was covered in blood, and then he noticed the dead body of a monstrous rat -- a goblin rat -- bigger than a cow! But who or what could have killed it? Suddenly the boy observed the cats he had drawn. Their mouths and claws were all red and wet with blood, and he knew that it was they who had killed the goblin rat.
After that, the boy went on to become a great artist indeed, and some of the cats which he drew are still shown to travelers in Japan.
Now, far be it from me to suggest that you will encounter a goblin rat (but keep an eye over your shoulder just in case), but recognize the concept that the details allude to. First and foremost, you will NEVER be happy doing something that is not your bliss. You may be a very good doctor or lawyer or engineer, but if you truly love playing the piano, no matter how much money you make otherwise, it won't make you happy. Second is that you only have this life (reincarnation aside, in which you'd have a different life anyhow), and it will end for you in an untimely way if you refuse to follow your bliss. Unhappiness is never listed as a cause of death, but how many diseases or ailments are acquired by doing things to seek pleasure or escape (drugs, alcohol, overeating, thrill-seeking, etc.)? So do yourself, and by extension the whole world, a favor and Follow Your Bliss.
On a very straightforward note, there is nothing -- repeat NOTHING -- that you are doing that is more important than following your bliss. We all have something we do (or want to do) because it just thrills us. Therefore, we have to do it. Want to make the world a better place? Follow your bliss. Want to be happy when you go to bed, when you wake up, and all day long? Follow your bliss. This concept also has roots in folk and fairy tales. One of my favorite Japanese tales is all about it, entitled "The Boy Who Drew Cats."
Long ago in a small village in Japan there lived a poor farmer and his wife. They had several children and found it hard to feed and clothe them all. The older son was able to help on the farm, and the girls learned to help their mother, but the younger son was small and weak, though very clever. So the young boy was given to a priest to become an acolyte. The young boy was very bright and learned quickly, but he had one fault. He liked to draw cats. He drew them when he should have been studying and saying his prayers. He drew them in books, on screens, and walls. He simply could not help himself. One day, after drawing some cats on a paper screen, the old priest told him that he must leave the temple as he would never become a good priest, but may one day be a great artist. His last words to the boy were, "Avoid large places at night; keep to small!"
Sadly, the young boy packed up his belongings and left the temple, pondering on the words of the priest. He was afraid to go home, but then remembered some miles away there was another temple. He decided to go there and ask to be an acolyte. What he did not know is that the temple had been closed as a goblin had come to live there. Some warriors had gone in to fight the goblin but had never been seen again. So it was to this temple that the young boy went. By the time he arrived, it was night and the village was dark. but there was a light in the temple, so he went there. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer, and eventually he pushed the door open and went it. He saw a lamp burning, but no priests. He was sure some priest would come soon, so he sat down to wait. As he sat, he noticed how dusty the entire temple was and how there were cobwebs everywhere. He was sure the priests would like an acolyte just to help clean the temple. And then he noticed some big white screens. Though the boy was tired, he was driven. He found a writing box, ground up some ink, and began to paint cats all over the screens.
He painted a great many cats, then grew sleepy. He was about to lie down beside one of the screens when the old priest's words came back to him: "Avoid large places at night; keep to small!" He then began to feel a little afraid and looked for somewhere small to sleep. At last he found a little cabinet and crawled inside, pulling the sliding door shut behind him, and fell asleep. Late in the night he was awakened by the the most frightful howling and shrieking along with the sounds of bodies crashing into walls and screens. The light in the temple went out, but the awful sounds continued. After what seemed a long time, the sounds finally stopped, but the boy was so terrified that he refused to move. In the morning, when the sun began to shine and he could see its light through the chinks of the sliding door, the boy finally crawled out of his hiding place and looked around. He first noticed that the floor of the temple was covered in blood, and then he noticed the dead body of a monstrous rat -- a goblin rat -- bigger than a cow! But who or what could have killed it? Suddenly the boy observed the cats he had drawn. Their mouths and claws were all red and wet with blood, and he knew that it was they who had killed the goblin rat.
After that, the boy went on to become a great artist indeed, and some of the cats which he drew are still shown to travelers in Japan.
Now, far be it from me to suggest that you will encounter a goblin rat (but keep an eye over your shoulder just in case), but recognize the concept that the details allude to. First and foremost, you will NEVER be happy doing something that is not your bliss. You may be a very good doctor or lawyer or engineer, but if you truly love playing the piano, no matter how much money you make otherwise, it won't make you happy. Second is that you only have this life (reincarnation aside, in which you'd have a different life anyhow), and it will end for you in an untimely way if you refuse to follow your bliss. Unhappiness is never listed as a cause of death, but how many diseases or ailments are acquired by doing things to seek pleasure or escape (drugs, alcohol, overeating, thrill-seeking, etc.)? So do yourself, and by extension the whole world, a favor and Follow Your Bliss.
January 6, 2012
If You Want It, Work For It -- There Are No Shortcuts
In the early 1960s "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" was a TV show about, what else, a guy named Dobie Gillis. One of Dobie's friends was a guy named Maynard (played by Bob Denver of "Gilligan's Island" fame). What made Maynard famous was not the fact that he was one of the first hippies on TV but that every time someone said the word "work" he would repeat it in a high-pitched voice as if someone had said a bad word. It was funny, but bespoke of a deeper truth. By and large, we don't like work. You can tell because some of the top-selling authors and speakers focus on getting rich in a hurry. Guess what? There aren't any shortcuts. Those get-rich-quick schemes? If they're legal, they don't work. So how do you get rich, achieve goals, or get from here to there? You work for it. This tale from Burma is a great reminder if you should ever forget.
A man's daughter was married to a young man who was both handsome and intelligent. But it soon became apparent that all was not as it seemed. The young man was obsessed with alchemy and rather than work he spent all his time, and bridal dowry, in the pursuit of turning lead into gold. The daughter eventually went to her father and told him her woes. The father thought for a moment and then told his daughter to bring her husband to see him the next day. The next day the young man came to speak to his father-in-law. "My daughter tells me you are an alchemist. I was once an alchemist. But it is only now, when I am too old to do it, that I have learned the missing ingredient." The young man was excited and asked what the ingredient was, to which the father replied that he needed one pound of the powder from banana bunches. The young man said that it seemed easy enough, but that it would require some effort. "Yes, I know, which is why I cannot do it myself," the father answered. "But if you do this, I will teach you how to make gold."
The young man agreed, so with borrowed money from his father-in-law, he bought some land, cleared it, and planted banana trees. He tended them with great care, and when they at last produced fruit he carefully scraped all the powder from the bananas. It was but a minimal amount, but the young man kept at it, and two years later, after planting more banana trees, he at last had one pound of the powder and ran to his father-in-law's home with it. "Excellent!" the father said. "Now, would you also bring my daughter here." The young man did not understand, but did as he was asked. When the two returned, the father asked to see the powder. The young man eagerly showed it to him. Then the father turned to his daughter. "Surely with this much powder there must have been many bananas. Where are they?" The daughter told her father that she had sold the bananas and used the money to pay their expenses and had managed to save money as well. When the father asked to see what she had saved, the daughter produced a large bag and poured its contents onto a table. Out came a bunch of coins, many of them gold. The father-in-law picked up one of the gold coins and showed it to his son-in-law. "You see? You have managed to turn banana powder into gold!" The young man suddenly realized the trick his father-in-law and wife had played on him and had to laugh at their cleverness. He thanked his father-in-law, kissed his wife, and live a long and happy life tending his banana plants.
There isn't a whole lot more that needs to be said on this subject. It takes effort and hard work to get to where you want to be, whether it's a great employee, business owner, professional entertainer, or a wealthy individual. Be wise, and start working. :-)
Have a question, problem, thought, or just a comment? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
A man's daughter was married to a young man who was both handsome and intelligent. But it soon became apparent that all was not as it seemed. The young man was obsessed with alchemy and rather than work he spent all his time, and bridal dowry, in the pursuit of turning lead into gold. The daughter eventually went to her father and told him her woes. The father thought for a moment and then told his daughter to bring her husband to see him the next day. The next day the young man came to speak to his father-in-law. "My daughter tells me you are an alchemist. I was once an alchemist. But it is only now, when I am too old to do it, that I have learned the missing ingredient." The young man was excited and asked what the ingredient was, to which the father replied that he needed one pound of the powder from banana bunches. The young man said that it seemed easy enough, but that it would require some effort. "Yes, I know, which is why I cannot do it myself," the father answered. "But if you do this, I will teach you how to make gold."
The young man agreed, so with borrowed money from his father-in-law, he bought some land, cleared it, and planted banana trees. He tended them with great care, and when they at last produced fruit he carefully scraped all the powder from the bananas. It was but a minimal amount, but the young man kept at it, and two years later, after planting more banana trees, he at last had one pound of the powder and ran to his father-in-law's home with it. "Excellent!" the father said. "Now, would you also bring my daughter here." The young man did not understand, but did as he was asked. When the two returned, the father asked to see the powder. The young man eagerly showed it to him. Then the father turned to his daughter. "Surely with this much powder there must have been many bananas. Where are they?" The daughter told her father that she had sold the bananas and used the money to pay their expenses and had managed to save money as well. When the father asked to see what she had saved, the daughter produced a large bag and poured its contents onto a table. Out came a bunch of coins, many of them gold. The father-in-law picked up one of the gold coins and showed it to his son-in-law. "You see? You have managed to turn banana powder into gold!" The young man suddenly realized the trick his father-in-law and wife had played on him and had to laugh at their cleverness. He thanked his father-in-law, kissed his wife, and live a long and happy life tending his banana plants.
There isn't a whole lot more that needs to be said on this subject. It takes effort and hard work to get to where you want to be, whether it's a great employee, business owner, professional entertainer, or a wealthy individual. Be wise, and start working. :-)
Have a question, problem, thought, or just a comment? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
December 29, 2011
The Golden Touch...of Life
As 2011 draws to a close and 2012 comes rushing at us, it's worth taking a moment to think about what we want for ourselves in the new year. A lot of the focus of new age gurus, talk show hosts, and so-called experts is money and wealth. As I've said before, wanting to have wealth is not a bad thing, but it can't be everything we want. In fact, it shouldn't even be the first thing. When all things are considered, you can't get any richer than being able to live your life. Nowhere is this lesson told better than in the story of King Midas.
King Midas was a good and just man and king, but he seldom considered matters deeply. One day an elderly satyr was found asleep in Midas' garden and was brought before the king to be punished. But Midas recognized the satyr and instead of punishment, treated the satyr well for five days and then let him go. When the god Dionysus heard about how his old teacher had been treated, he rewarded King Midas by granting him one wish. The king thought for only a second and before asking that everything he touched turned to gold. Dionysus asked him if that was what he truly wanted, as such a wish was dangerous, but Midas would not be swayed. And so it came to pass.
King Midas was thrilled with his gift and immediately went to his garden and there turned his beautiful flowers into gold. But soon the gift became a curse. King Midas grew hungry and thin, for each time he tried to eat, his meal turned to gold. And when he touched his lovely daughter, she too turned hard and fast to gold.
King Midas saw then the foolishness of his wish. He asked Dionysus to turn everything back to the way it had been and take back his golden touch. Because the king was ashamed and very sad, Dionysus took pity on him and granted his request. King Midas was poorer than he had been, but richer in the things that really count.
As 2011 turns to 2012, take a look at what you really want, and consider it. A dollar bill will never be as pretty as a flower with its natural fragrance. A car may take you places, but a beautiful sunset will take your breath away. Wanting more money than you have now is not a bad thing, but you'll never be as rich with a fat bank account as you will be just waking up to a new day.
Have a question, problem, thought, or just a comment? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
Or, you can check out my ebook The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com! It's stories from around the world with real world applications to help you live that happy life!
King Midas was a good and just man and king, but he seldom considered matters deeply. One day an elderly satyr was found asleep in Midas' garden and was brought before the king to be punished. But Midas recognized the satyr and instead of punishment, treated the satyr well for five days and then let him go. When the god Dionysus heard about how his old teacher had been treated, he rewarded King Midas by granting him one wish. The king thought for only a second and before asking that everything he touched turned to gold. Dionysus asked him if that was what he truly wanted, as such a wish was dangerous, but Midas would not be swayed. And so it came to pass.
King Midas was thrilled with his gift and immediately went to his garden and there turned his beautiful flowers into gold. But soon the gift became a curse. King Midas grew hungry and thin, for each time he tried to eat, his meal turned to gold. And when he touched his lovely daughter, she too turned hard and fast to gold.
King Midas saw then the foolishness of his wish. He asked Dionysus to turn everything back to the way it had been and take back his golden touch. Because the king was ashamed and very sad, Dionysus took pity on him and granted his request. King Midas was poorer than he had been, but richer in the things that really count.
As 2011 turns to 2012, take a look at what you really want, and consider it. A dollar bill will never be as pretty as a flower with its natural fragrance. A car may take you places, but a beautiful sunset will take your breath away. Wanting more money than you have now is not a bad thing, but you'll never be as rich with a fat bank account as you will be just waking up to a new day.
Have a question, problem, thought, or just a comment? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
Or, you can check out my ebook The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com! It's stories from around the world with real world applications to help you live that happy life!
November 9, 2011
Forget Happiness...I Want to be Rich! Part 2
So, you still want to blindly pursue riches rather than trying to be happy? Are you REALLY sure? In these tough economic times, it might seem like the right path to take. Can you really be happy if you can't pay your bills, wear decent clothes, and have enough food to eat? Well....yes, you can. Still, no one doubts the good sense of trying to have enough money or even more than enough so that you can live a life filled with grandiose experiences. But to pursue that above and beyond happiness? Well, if you are bound and determined to really be rich first and then happy later (if that's even possible), then this next story, from Italy, is worth reading.
There was once a great king. He ruled justly and wisely and was loved by his people. He had made pacts with the other kings around him and so his lands were at peace and the people were able to pursue their desires and prosper. All was well. But one morning the king woke up feeling ill. Doctors were called to attend him, but none could determine what it was that ailed him. Day after day he grew weaker and weaker. The wise men were called and looked at the king. All were also unable to find a cure until the oldest and wisest came forward. He declared that what the king needed was to wear the shirt of a happy man. So the king called his advisors and nobles, believing that surely in such times of peace and prosperity one of them would be happy. But such was not the case. This one was bothered by a longstanding family fued. That one was troubled with taking care of an increasingly feeble parent. One by one they all admitted to the king that they were not happy.
The king then sent messengers out into the kingdom. As he grew weaker with each passing day, they all returned unable to find a happy man. And then the last messenger came riding into the palace. He had found a happy man! The king was helped from his bed, dressed, and with his retainers followed the messenger. They rode to the edge of the kingdom to a small, humble shack that was very little more than boards nailed together. The land around was small but well taken care of. One of the king's men went to the door and knocked. A woman came to the door. When told that the king wanted to see her husband, she said that he had worked all day and had just now laid down but that she would fetch him. A few moments later the man came to the door wrapped in a tattered and patched comforter. Though he was obviously tired, there was a twinkle in his eye and all who saw him knew that here at last was a truly happy man. But when the man was told that the king needed to put on his shirt, he began to laugh. When asked why he was laughing, the man let the comforter fall from his shoulders. He stood wearing only his pants. He was so poor that he had no shirt.
The moral and meaning of this tale is fairly obvious. But it is certainly not, "Don't pursue money." The story actually makes a point in the beginning of recognizing that wealth and power, when used properly, create a great benefit for everybody. But there is an implication in the story (and there are versions of the story where the king is said to be afflicted with "melancholia") that the king had lived for the excitement of being king (pursuing his riches) and not for just enjoying life. He made everyone happy but himself. And if you pursue just riches, if your aim is only to be rich or famous or have this or that, that is how you will end up, unhappy to death. Go ahead and pursue those things, but don't forget to keep happiness as your traveling companion along the way.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
Or, you can check out my book The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com! It's stories from around the world with real world applications to help you live that happy life!
There was once a great king. He ruled justly and wisely and was loved by his people. He had made pacts with the other kings around him and so his lands were at peace and the people were able to pursue their desires and prosper. All was well. But one morning the king woke up feeling ill. Doctors were called to attend him, but none could determine what it was that ailed him. Day after day he grew weaker and weaker. The wise men were called and looked at the king. All were also unable to find a cure until the oldest and wisest came forward. He declared that what the king needed was to wear the shirt of a happy man. So the king called his advisors and nobles, believing that surely in such times of peace and prosperity one of them would be happy. But such was not the case. This one was bothered by a longstanding family fued. That one was troubled with taking care of an increasingly feeble parent. One by one they all admitted to the king that they were not happy.
The king then sent messengers out into the kingdom. As he grew weaker with each passing day, they all returned unable to find a happy man. And then the last messenger came riding into the palace. He had found a happy man! The king was helped from his bed, dressed, and with his retainers followed the messenger. They rode to the edge of the kingdom to a small, humble shack that was very little more than boards nailed together. The land around was small but well taken care of. One of the king's men went to the door and knocked. A woman came to the door. When told that the king wanted to see her husband, she said that he had worked all day and had just now laid down but that she would fetch him. A few moments later the man came to the door wrapped in a tattered and patched comforter. Though he was obviously tired, there was a twinkle in his eye and all who saw him knew that here at last was a truly happy man. But when the man was told that the king needed to put on his shirt, he began to laugh. When asked why he was laughing, the man let the comforter fall from his shoulders. He stood wearing only his pants. He was so poor that he had no shirt.
The moral and meaning of this tale is fairly obvious. But it is certainly not, "Don't pursue money." The story actually makes a point in the beginning of recognizing that wealth and power, when used properly, create a great benefit for everybody. But there is an implication in the story (and there are versions of the story where the king is said to be afflicted with "melancholia") that the king had lived for the excitement of being king (pursuing his riches) and not for just enjoying life. He made everyone happy but himself. And if you pursue just riches, if your aim is only to be rich or famous or have this or that, that is how you will end up, unhappy to death. Go ahead and pursue those things, but don't forget to keep happiness as your traveling companion along the way.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
Or, you can check out my book The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com! It's stories from around the world with real world applications to help you live that happy life!
October 26, 2011
Forget Happiness...I Want to be Rich! Part 1
Really? Are you sure about that? You know, the best stories are the ones about people who are happy first, then become rich (Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Brave Little Tailor). Those folks all get lasting riches (including a long life). There are very few stories about folks who get rich and then get happy later. But if you really, REALLY want to forget about being happy and just want to be rich, there are a couple stories that should be heeded. The first one goes by many names including "The Boy Who Went Out to Learn What Fear Was."
The story goes that a farmer had two sons. The elder was clever and could be relied on, but the younger one was a simpleton. It happened that the younger would sit by listening late at night while stories were swapped at fires and would hear the folks exclaim how stories made them shiver. But the younger son did not understand. When his father one day told him he needed to learn to do something, he replied that he would like to learn to shiver. To which the father said that he would never make a living shivering. It happened that later that night the village sexton came by to talk and an arrangement was made whereby the sexton took the younger son to train him. The younger son is to ring the bell of the church. The simpleton goes up late at night to do so. The sexton dresses in a sheet as a ghost to scare the younger son, but the son is too stupid to be scared and ends up knocking the sexton down the stairs, breaking some of his bones and is sent away. The father, in disgrace, sends the younger son away. After wandering some time, the simpleton comes to a town and hears tales at an inn that if anyone can stay three nights in a haunted castle, he will get half the king's wealth and kingdom, as well as the king's beautiful daughter to wife. Despite warnings, the younger son accepts the challenge and, after three nights of encounters (too much to recount here), he comes out unscathed, breaks the enchantment, and becomes a prince. Yet, one night, his new bride overhears him claiming how he wished he had learned to shiver. In response, she gets a bucket full of cold river water and minnows and dumps it on him one night while he is sleeping, to which he awakes and suddenly has learned what it is to shiver.
The purpose of this tale is to explain two crucial points in the quest for riches (learning to shiver). First, there are no special formulas for doing so. Attaining wealth is a mental mindset of determination. Obstacles will arise, but they can be overcome if your will to do so simply won't let them stop you. Also, it takes no particular talents or brainpower to be rich. And second, even if you do become rich, you will be haunted by your lack of happiness and satisfaction. You really can't be rich without being happy and rich. Otherwise, you're not rich. You just have money. My next post will tell the second story.
The story goes that a farmer had two sons. The elder was clever and could be relied on, but the younger one was a simpleton. It happened that the younger would sit by listening late at night while stories were swapped at fires and would hear the folks exclaim how stories made them shiver. But the younger son did not understand. When his father one day told him he needed to learn to do something, he replied that he would like to learn to shiver. To which the father said that he would never make a living shivering. It happened that later that night the village sexton came by to talk and an arrangement was made whereby the sexton took the younger son to train him. The younger son is to ring the bell of the church. The simpleton goes up late at night to do so. The sexton dresses in a sheet as a ghost to scare the younger son, but the son is too stupid to be scared and ends up knocking the sexton down the stairs, breaking some of his bones and is sent away. The father, in disgrace, sends the younger son away. After wandering some time, the simpleton comes to a town and hears tales at an inn that if anyone can stay three nights in a haunted castle, he will get half the king's wealth and kingdom, as well as the king's beautiful daughter to wife. Despite warnings, the younger son accepts the challenge and, after three nights of encounters (too much to recount here), he comes out unscathed, breaks the enchantment, and becomes a prince. Yet, one night, his new bride overhears him claiming how he wished he had learned to shiver. In response, she gets a bucket full of cold river water and minnows and dumps it on him one night while he is sleeping, to which he awakes and suddenly has learned what it is to shiver.
The purpose of this tale is to explain two crucial points in the quest for riches (learning to shiver). First, there are no special formulas for doing so. Attaining wealth is a mental mindset of determination. Obstacles will arise, but they can be overcome if your will to do so simply won't let them stop you. Also, it takes no particular talents or brainpower to be rich. And second, even if you do become rich, you will be haunted by your lack of happiness and satisfaction. You really can't be rich without being happy and rich. Otherwise, you're not rich. You just have money. My next post will tell the second story.
September 2, 2011
Want to be Happy? Make Others Happy!
We are social creatures, and because of that our mental and emotional makeup is connected to that of others whether we like to admit it or not. In other words, “no man is an island.” It’s important for us to realize and accept that. It's more important for us to act on it. If we make others unhappy, we’re going to be unhappy. But if we make others happy, we’ll be happy. It’s all really simple. So simple that the European tale of “Simple Jack” can illustrate this to us.
A woman had a son named Jack who was a simpleton. But as he had come of age, she decided she had to send him out to work. So one morning Jack went off and hired himself out. For his labors that day the man gave him some coins. Being a simpleton, Jack carried the coins home in his hand. By the time he arrived home, all but one of the coins had fallen out of his hand and been lost. His mother scolded him and told him next time to bring them home in his pocket. The next morning Jack went out again to work. This time he was paid in a dozen eggs, which he promptly placed in his pocket. By the time he arrived home, the eggs were all broken. Again, his mother scolded him.
So it continued with each day Jack earning something, but each day bringing it home the wrong way. Then one day Jack was bringing home a mule by carrying it on his back. On his way home, he happened to be walking by a wealthy merchant’s home (or a king’s castle depending on the story) when the merchant’s daughter looked out the window. Now, the daughter had been in a real depression and was sick unto death. The merchant had offered her hand and half his wealth to anyone who could make her smile. Well, when she saw Jack walking by with the mule’s legs up in the air, she began to laugh. The merchant was thrilled and immediately had Jack brought in. The daughter fell in love with him and when she recovered, the marriage was held. Never again did Jack’s mother scold him, and they all lived happily ever after.
Obviously, this is a simple story about a simple person, but the message is abundantly clear. Jack and his mother, while they toiled and worked on their own, struggled. But when Jack went "out of his way" and made someone else happy, his fortunes immediately changed.
The same goes for all of us. We tend to get so caught up in our own lives that we don't make the time or effort to make someone else feel better. But when we do, everyone involved will be lifted up.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
A woman had a son named Jack who was a simpleton. But as he had come of age, she decided she had to send him out to work. So one morning Jack went off and hired himself out. For his labors that day the man gave him some coins. Being a simpleton, Jack carried the coins home in his hand. By the time he arrived home, all but one of the coins had fallen out of his hand and been lost. His mother scolded him and told him next time to bring them home in his pocket. The next morning Jack went out again to work. This time he was paid in a dozen eggs, which he promptly placed in his pocket. By the time he arrived home, the eggs were all broken. Again, his mother scolded him.
So it continued with each day Jack earning something, but each day bringing it home the wrong way. Then one day Jack was bringing home a mule by carrying it on his back. On his way home, he happened to be walking by a wealthy merchant’s home (or a king’s castle depending on the story) when the merchant’s daughter looked out the window. Now, the daughter had been in a real depression and was sick unto death. The merchant had offered her hand and half his wealth to anyone who could make her smile. Well, when she saw Jack walking by with the mule’s legs up in the air, she began to laugh. The merchant was thrilled and immediately had Jack brought in. The daughter fell in love with him and when she recovered, the marriage was held. Never again did Jack’s mother scold him, and they all lived happily ever after.
Obviously, this is a simple story about a simple person, but the message is abundantly clear. Jack and his mother, while they toiled and worked on their own, struggled. But when Jack went "out of his way" and made someone else happy, his fortunes immediately changed.
The same goes for all of us. We tend to get so caught up in our own lives that we don't make the time or effort to make someone else feel better. But when we do, everyone involved will be lifted up.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
August 24, 2011
To Be Happy Later, Be Happy Now
What do we really want in life? Is it the fancy house, the flashy car, the unlimited bank account, the loving and attractive spouse? Sort of. But what we really REALLY want is to be happy. We want the fancy house because we can be happy sitting in it. We want the flashy car because we can be happy driving it. We want the money because we can be happy buying things without worrying about how much money we have left. Get the picture? What we really want is to be happy. Those other things are nice, but they're worthless without the happiness part.
So it makes sense then that we strive to get those things so we can be happy. We work long hours, spend hours in the gym (some of us), dress well, etc., etc. But really, we're going about it backwards. Striving to get those things isn't going to make us happy. If we're a miserable person to be around, having a lot of money is just going to make us a miserable wealthy person. Ditto with the car, house, and spouse. All you have to do is look at any celebrity gossip magazine to see that's the case. Beautiful, rich, successful people can be miserable. They get divorced, do drugs, get arrested for violent outbursts, and on and on. The secret to being a happy person with all those things is to be a happy person now, whether you have those things or not. There is a wonderful Spanish story (an incredibly similar Japanese tale also exists) that teaches us if we're going to be discontent, it doesn't matter how much we have.
Long ago there lived a stonecutter. Every day the sound of his hammer and chisel could be heard as he worked away at the base of a great mountain. One hot day as he worked, a great procession came by. At the rear of the procession was the king. He sat in a beautiful carriage pulled by six white horses. Inside the carriage, servants fanned the king to keep him cool. "This is no life for me!" the stonecutter said after the procession had gone by. "This is the life of an ox! Oh, if only I were a king how happy I would be!" Now on that mountain lived a lamina (a fairy) who sometimes helped people. When she heard the stonecutter, she decided to help him. "Your wish is heard. A king you shall be!" The stonecutter looked around at the sound of the voice but could see no one. He gathered his tools and headed home, for he did not feel like doing any more work that day. But when he returned home, his small shack was no longer there. Instead, there stood a palace. Inside were numerous rooms, each with a bed covered in silken sheets. He had whole fields, gardens that gave the most delicious fruit, and a carriage pulled by six white horses.
One day as the king was in his garden, he reached out to pick a peach. As he did, he felt the heat of the sun on his arm. He looked around and noticed that no matter how much his gardens were watered, the heat of the sun was slowly turning the grass brown. "The sun is more powerful than I!" he cried out. "Oh, if only I were the sun, how happy I'd be!" "Your wish is heard. The sun you shall be!" And he was the sun, burning and golden in the sky. Every day we went around the whole world, bring his light and warmth. But one day, an immense black cloud came between him and the earth. He was NOT the most powerful! "The cloud is mightier than I!" he cried out. "If only I were a cloud, how happy I would be!" He thought he heard someone laughing, then the voice of the lamina came to him. "Your wish is heard. A cloud you shall be!" And the stonecutter was the cloud. He floated above the ground, catching the sun's rays and holding them. And then he began to rain. At first just showers, then torrential downpours, flooding rivers and lakes. But the great mountain stood still. "Lamina, you have tricked me!" he called out. "If I am to be truly happy, I must be a mountain!" "Your wish is heard. A mountain you shall be." And the stonecutter was the mountain. He stood tall and strong. Neither the warmth of the sun nor the rain of the cloud could bother him. But then, one morning, the mountain heard something. It was the sound of a hammer and chisel. The mountain looked down and saw a man, a stonecutter, and the mountain trembled. And as he watched, a block of stone fell away from him. "Lamina! Lamina! I want to be--" And suddenly there he was, a stonecutter again. But some of the lamina's magic must have stayed in him, for now his stone carvings were wondrous. People came from far and near to purchase them, and the stonecutter never lacked for anything for the rest of his years. And though he never saw the lamina, there were times as he worked that he thought he heard laughter in the wind that blew around the mountain.
There is one last aspect to this story that bears a word. This version (as opposed to the Japanese version) ends with the stonecutter having some of the magic left in him. What this "magic" is really is happiness. He has learned that happiness is not found in being, doing, or having, but in being happy as he is. As a result, what he does is now special and other people cannot help but be drawn to it. All that has changed for him from the beginning of the story to the end is his inner being. He has chosen to be happy. And that choice carries over to the rest of his days.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
So it makes sense then that we strive to get those things so we can be happy. We work long hours, spend hours in the gym (some of us), dress well, etc., etc. But really, we're going about it backwards. Striving to get those things isn't going to make us happy. If we're a miserable person to be around, having a lot of money is just going to make us a miserable wealthy person. Ditto with the car, house, and spouse. All you have to do is look at any celebrity gossip magazine to see that's the case. Beautiful, rich, successful people can be miserable. They get divorced, do drugs, get arrested for violent outbursts, and on and on. The secret to being a happy person with all those things is to be a happy person now, whether you have those things or not. There is a wonderful Spanish story (an incredibly similar Japanese tale also exists) that teaches us if we're going to be discontent, it doesn't matter how much we have.
Long ago there lived a stonecutter. Every day the sound of his hammer and chisel could be heard as he worked away at the base of a great mountain. One hot day as he worked, a great procession came by. At the rear of the procession was the king. He sat in a beautiful carriage pulled by six white horses. Inside the carriage, servants fanned the king to keep him cool. "This is no life for me!" the stonecutter said after the procession had gone by. "This is the life of an ox! Oh, if only I were a king how happy I would be!" Now on that mountain lived a lamina (a fairy) who sometimes helped people. When she heard the stonecutter, she decided to help him. "Your wish is heard. A king you shall be!" The stonecutter looked around at the sound of the voice but could see no one. He gathered his tools and headed home, for he did not feel like doing any more work that day. But when he returned home, his small shack was no longer there. Instead, there stood a palace. Inside were numerous rooms, each with a bed covered in silken sheets. He had whole fields, gardens that gave the most delicious fruit, and a carriage pulled by six white horses.
One day as the king was in his garden, he reached out to pick a peach. As he did, he felt the heat of the sun on his arm. He looked around and noticed that no matter how much his gardens were watered, the heat of the sun was slowly turning the grass brown. "The sun is more powerful than I!" he cried out. "Oh, if only I were the sun, how happy I'd be!" "Your wish is heard. The sun you shall be!" And he was the sun, burning and golden in the sky. Every day we went around the whole world, bring his light and warmth. But one day, an immense black cloud came between him and the earth. He was NOT the most powerful! "The cloud is mightier than I!" he cried out. "If only I were a cloud, how happy I would be!" He thought he heard someone laughing, then the voice of the lamina came to him. "Your wish is heard. A cloud you shall be!" And the stonecutter was the cloud. He floated above the ground, catching the sun's rays and holding them. And then he began to rain. At first just showers, then torrential downpours, flooding rivers and lakes. But the great mountain stood still. "Lamina, you have tricked me!" he called out. "If I am to be truly happy, I must be a mountain!" "Your wish is heard. A mountain you shall be." And the stonecutter was the mountain. He stood tall and strong. Neither the warmth of the sun nor the rain of the cloud could bother him. But then, one morning, the mountain heard something. It was the sound of a hammer and chisel. The mountain looked down and saw a man, a stonecutter, and the mountain trembled. And as he watched, a block of stone fell away from him. "Lamina! Lamina! I want to be--" And suddenly there he was, a stonecutter again. But some of the lamina's magic must have stayed in him, for now his stone carvings were wondrous. People came from far and near to purchase them, and the stonecutter never lacked for anything for the rest of his years. And though he never saw the lamina, there were times as he worked that he thought he heard laughter in the wind that blew around the mountain.
There is one last aspect to this story that bears a word. This version (as opposed to the Japanese version) ends with the stonecutter having some of the magic left in him. What this "magic" is really is happiness. He has learned that happiness is not found in being, doing, or having, but in being happy as he is. As a result, what he does is now special and other people cannot help but be drawn to it. All that has changed for him from the beginning of the story to the end is his inner being. He has chosen to be happy. And that choice carries over to the rest of his days.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll post it here!
August 9, 2011
Physical Beauty...or True Beauty
It seems as if the whole world is obsessed with beauty. Fitness clubs and gyms dot cities like coffee shops. The latest and greatest fitness crazes are advertised on TV as the solution to all our worries. The "beautiful people" become rich and famous for doing absolutely nothing other than looking fit and pretty. But, quite frankly, physical beauty and riches are meaningless, and worthless, without true inner beauty.
The story of "Beauty and the Beast" is extremely popular. A handsome, wealthy prince is known for his meanness rather than his generosity and kindness. One evening he is visited by a fairy disguised as an old woman. When the prince is mean to her, the fairy casts an enchantment on him, turning him into a hideous beast. The only way to break the spell is for a beautiful woman to fall in love with him. Some time later, a merchant with three daughters, who has run into bad luck, hears that his fortune might not have been entirely lost and rides out to collect what he has. On his way home, he becomes lost and finds himself in a beautiful, enchanted castle. His needs are met and the next morning as he is about to leave, he plucks a single rose from a bush. This brings forth the beast who tells him that he must die for treating his hospitality with thievery. The merchant begs and says he did it for his youngest daughter. The beast says that only if the youngest daughter returns will he spare the merchant. Of course Beauty comes back, lives with the beast, and evenutally falls in love with him, breaking the spell. (The actual story is much more enjoyable than my 10-cent retelling here. If you can find a faithful translation of the original version, you will find it a great read.)
While it seems obvious, there are a few very important messages to this story. First, the prince starts off handsome and wealthy, but it is what's inside of him that makes him "a beast." That is, fancy clothes and a big home cannot hide what sort of person he truly is. Second, the "enchantment" that takes hold of the prince is not a spell at all, but a realization of what he is. Once everybody sees how truly awful he is, no one wants to be around him. Third, when presented the opportunity of being kind to the merchant, he is, but he relapses when he gets upset over the taken rose. (Special note, little things are often big windows into a person's true character.) Fourth, he must not only be kind to Beauty, but he must endure her rejections of him time and time again, and endure them patiently, before he is truly reformed. In other words, anyone can pretend to be reformed when everything is going their way, but it's when they face adversity that their true character shows. And lastly, when the beast's true character has changed, he becomes a "handsome prince" once more. His inner beauty has created an external beauty that once again everyone can see.
If you find yourself judging someone's beauty by their physical appearance, think again. Inner and outer beauty can often be diametrically opposed.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll find a solution in a fairy tale!
The story of "Beauty and the Beast" is extremely popular. A handsome, wealthy prince is known for his meanness rather than his generosity and kindness. One evening he is visited by a fairy disguised as an old woman. When the prince is mean to her, the fairy casts an enchantment on him, turning him into a hideous beast. The only way to break the spell is for a beautiful woman to fall in love with him. Some time later, a merchant with three daughters, who has run into bad luck, hears that his fortune might not have been entirely lost and rides out to collect what he has. On his way home, he becomes lost and finds himself in a beautiful, enchanted castle. His needs are met and the next morning as he is about to leave, he plucks a single rose from a bush. This brings forth the beast who tells him that he must die for treating his hospitality with thievery. The merchant begs and says he did it for his youngest daughter. The beast says that only if the youngest daughter returns will he spare the merchant. Of course Beauty comes back, lives with the beast, and evenutally falls in love with him, breaking the spell. (The actual story is much more enjoyable than my 10-cent retelling here. If you can find a faithful translation of the original version, you will find it a great read.)
While it seems obvious, there are a few very important messages to this story. First, the prince starts off handsome and wealthy, but it is what's inside of him that makes him "a beast." That is, fancy clothes and a big home cannot hide what sort of person he truly is. Second, the "enchantment" that takes hold of the prince is not a spell at all, but a realization of what he is. Once everybody sees how truly awful he is, no one wants to be around him. Third, when presented the opportunity of being kind to the merchant, he is, but he relapses when he gets upset over the taken rose. (Special note, little things are often big windows into a person's true character.) Fourth, he must not only be kind to Beauty, but he must endure her rejections of him time and time again, and endure them patiently, before he is truly reformed. In other words, anyone can pretend to be reformed when everything is going their way, but it's when they face adversity that their true character shows. And lastly, when the beast's true character has changed, he becomes a "handsome prince" once more. His inner beauty has created an external beauty that once again everyone can see.
If you find yourself judging someone's beauty by their physical appearance, think again. Inner and outer beauty can often be diametrically opposed.
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Want to know what fairy tales say about some other topic? Send it to me and I'll find a solution in a fairy tale!
July 29, 2011
What's Your True Character? It Will Find You Out
What sort of person are you? What sort of person are you really? It's no secret that we often think more of ourselves than others do. It's also no secret that the person our closest friends and family see is more often the real person we are than the person we believe ourselves to be. But who are we really and how do we find out? There is a wonderful tale from the Arabian Nights called "The Everlasting Shoes" that illustrates beyond the shadow of a doubt that not only will your true character find you out and make itself known to everyone else, but it will also sooner or later be your making...or your undoing.
There was once a man in Cairo who was as famous for his wealth as he was for his miserliness. His shoes were the biggest example of his meanness, having been patched and repaired so much over the 20 years he had owned them that they became a joke throughout the city. One day Abu Kassim went to take his bath and, as is customary, left his old shoes outside the bath. While he was inside, a rich merchant came. He ordered the keeper of the bath to remove the offending his shoes from his sight and left his own, fine clogs there. When Abu Kassim came out, he saw the new shoes and believed in his greedy mind that Allah had rewarded him with new shoes. So he put them on and went home. When the merchant came out and found his shoes missing, but could still smell the shoes of Abu Kassim, he knew what had happened. With his servants, he went to Abu Kassim's house. He demanded back his shoes and had Abu Kassim arrested. Abu Kassim had to pay a large bribe to keep the affair out of the courts.
Abu Kassim blamed his troubles on his shoes and decided it was best if they go. So he went to the wall of his house and threw the shoes over it. On the other side, an elderly woman was walking by and the shoes struck her on the head, killing her. Abu Kassim was dragged into court accused of murder and had to pay a large ransom to appease the family of the killed woman. Time and again Abu Kassim tried to rid himself of his shoes, each time they returned to him and cost him more money until at last his great fortune was gone. Finally, hysterical, Abu Kassim brought his shoes to court and, in front of witnesses, accused his shoes of malice and conspiracy and there disowned them. He ran penniless from the court screaming and muttering curses upon the entire tribe of Shoes.
This is, of course, a light-hearted story, but the messages in the story are serious indeed. As many Arabic stories illustrate, generosity is a virtue and miserliness is a great sin. The other lesson is that sooner or later, your character will "out" you. Are you generous? Are you jealous? Are you ambitious? Are you helpful? Whatever you are, make sure your actions in ALL of your life reflect it. Otherwise, it may be your shoes that bring about your doom. :-)
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Send it to me and I'll find a solution in a fairy tale!
There was once a man in Cairo who was as famous for his wealth as he was for his miserliness. His shoes were the biggest example of his meanness, having been patched and repaired so much over the 20 years he had owned them that they became a joke throughout the city. One day Abu Kassim went to take his bath and, as is customary, left his old shoes outside the bath. While he was inside, a rich merchant came. He ordered the keeper of the bath to remove the offending his shoes from his sight and left his own, fine clogs there. When Abu Kassim came out, he saw the new shoes and believed in his greedy mind that Allah had rewarded him with new shoes. So he put them on and went home. When the merchant came out and found his shoes missing, but could still smell the shoes of Abu Kassim, he knew what had happened. With his servants, he went to Abu Kassim's house. He demanded back his shoes and had Abu Kassim arrested. Abu Kassim had to pay a large bribe to keep the affair out of the courts.
Abu Kassim blamed his troubles on his shoes and decided it was best if they go. So he went to the wall of his house and threw the shoes over it. On the other side, an elderly woman was walking by and the shoes struck her on the head, killing her. Abu Kassim was dragged into court accused of murder and had to pay a large ransom to appease the family of the killed woman. Time and again Abu Kassim tried to rid himself of his shoes, each time they returned to him and cost him more money until at last his great fortune was gone. Finally, hysterical, Abu Kassim brought his shoes to court and, in front of witnesses, accused his shoes of malice and conspiracy and there disowned them. He ran penniless from the court screaming and muttering curses upon the entire tribe of Shoes.
This is, of course, a light-hearted story, but the messages in the story are serious indeed. As many Arabic stories illustrate, generosity is a virtue and miserliness is a great sin. The other lesson is that sooner or later, your character will "out" you. Are you generous? Are you jealous? Are you ambitious? Are you helpful? Whatever you are, make sure your actions in ALL of your life reflect it. Otherwise, it may be your shoes that bring about your doom. :-)
Have a question, problem, conundrum, or just a nagging issue? Send it to me and I'll find a solution in a fairy tale!
July 14, 2011
If It's Hard to Listen to, It Might Be Worth Listening To
From the moment we are born to the moment we die, people are always trying to give us advice and tell us what to do. Some people do it to help; some people to do it to hurt; and some people do it to hear the sound of their own voice. Sometimes we listen and profit; other times we don't and suffer. Of course, the real key to advice is its source. Who is giving it? Is it somebody who just wants to give advice or is it somebody who truly cares about you? (Note that somebody who cares about you can be totally different from somebody you care about!) There is folktale from the Middle East (depending on where you source it, it can be found in Iraq, India, and even China) that warns us that even if the advice is not something we want to hear, if it comes from someone who truly cares about us, we should heed it without anger.
A man (some stories have him as a king) had a falcon that he had owned for many years. The falcon was a grat hunter, and both the falcon and man had developed a great fondness for each other. One day, the man was out with the falcon hunting. It was particularly hot, and after a while he came to an oasis where water was cascading down from a high rock. The man's falcon flew off his should and circled as the man took out his cup and filled it with the cool water. But just as he was about to drink, the falcon swooped down and knocked the cup from his hands, spilling the water. Slightly annoyed, the man picked up his cup, refilled it, and was about to drink when the falcon knocked the cup from his hand again. When the falcon did this a third time, the man was angry, grabbed his falcon, and throttled it, killing it. After doing this deed, the man's curiousity overcame him and he climbed to the top of the rock. There, at the edge of the water at the top, sat a deadly viper. Its mouth was open and drops of poison were dripping into the water. Only then did the man realize that his faithful falcon had saved his life, and he lamented his loss for the rest of his days.
Advice and helpful hints are a tricky thing. But even trickier is overcoming our own pride and ego to understand that those who really care about us will give us advice that we don't want to hear. Sure, sometimes this advice will be misguided and wrong, but the majority of the time it is absolutely right. This is because people that really care about us only have our best interests at heart. When they do, sometimes what they tell us is not what we want to hear. But listen anyway!
Have a question, conundrum, or problem? Send me an email and I'll find an answer for you in folk and fairy tales!
Or, you can check out my book The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com!
A man (some stories have him as a king) had a falcon that he had owned for many years. The falcon was a grat hunter, and both the falcon and man had developed a great fondness for each other. One day, the man was out with the falcon hunting. It was particularly hot, and after a while he came to an oasis where water was cascading down from a high rock. The man's falcon flew off his should and circled as the man took out his cup and filled it with the cool water. But just as he was about to drink, the falcon swooped down and knocked the cup from his hands, spilling the water. Slightly annoyed, the man picked up his cup, refilled it, and was about to drink when the falcon knocked the cup from his hand again. When the falcon did this a third time, the man was angry, grabbed his falcon, and throttled it, killing it. After doing this deed, the man's curiousity overcame him and he climbed to the top of the rock. There, at the edge of the water at the top, sat a deadly viper. Its mouth was open and drops of poison were dripping into the water. Only then did the man realize that his faithful falcon had saved his life, and he lamented his loss for the rest of his days.
Advice and helpful hints are a tricky thing. But even trickier is overcoming our own pride and ego to understand that those who really care about us will give us advice that we don't want to hear. Sure, sometimes this advice will be misguided and wrong, but the majority of the time it is absolutely right. This is because people that really care about us only have our best interests at heart. When they do, sometimes what they tell us is not what we want to hear. But listen anyway!
Have a question, conundrum, or problem? Send me an email and I'll find an answer for you in folk and fairy tales!
Or, you can check out my book The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com!
Everything You Need to Know Can Be Found in Folktales
Based on the ebook of the same title, this blog will provide references to folk and fairy tales that will help you deal with life's little conundrums. Send email and questions to see your problems exp
...more
- Steven Gregory's profile
- 11 followers
