A Sincere Man's Promise

This is a true story about two friends. One day a young man said to his good friend, “I can see that some day you will become great and rich.”

His friend scoffed, “Ridiculous! How will I become a great and rich man?”

The first friend said, “Yes, I can see it. It is written on your forehead.”

The second one said, “All right, if I become great and rich, I will give you ten thousand rupees.”

“Do you really mean it?” the first friend asked. “if so, then write it down.”

The second one wrote down, “I will give you 10,000 rupees if ever I become rich and great,” and he signed his name.

The young man kept the note that his friend had written, but he never took his friend seriously. The agreement was made as a joke. Now, it happened that in 10 or 12 years the one friend really did become rich and great, while the other unfortunately remained quite poor. By that time both friends had drifted apart and were leading their own lives. Even so, the poor friend continued to preserve the note, although he felt that since it was a joke, he would never receive the money.

Mother Holle

       There was once a poor woman who lived in a small hut in a jungle. She had two daughters. Rosa was pretty and worked hard. Rosie was ugly and lazy. One day, Rosa went to collect some firewood  deep into the jungle. She saw a little house. An old woman was standing outside. " I am Mother Holle. What is your name and what are you doing here?". " I am Rosa. I come to collect firewood for some money, " answered Rosa. " You can live here and work for me," Mother Holle said. So Rosa stayed and helped Mother Holle to do everything.
        After a while, she wanted to go home. Mother Holle gave her a big bag. It was full of gold coins. "Where on earth did you go and who gave you the gold coins?," asked Rosie. Rosa told Rosie what had happened. Upon hearing that, she too wanted to go and work for Mother Holle. So she went to Mother Holle's house.

The Lion And The Mouse

A lion was sleeping at noon after his meal. There a mouse ran by chance over his body that woke the 'King of the Beasts'. The angry lion caught hold of the small mouse with his heavy paw, and wanted to smash it to death.

The poor mouse explained that it ran over his body by chance, and not with any intention to disturb his sleep. It prayed for mercy to the lion.The lion, however, pardoned the tiny creature.

Now the mouse promised the lion of any kind of help in future. At this, the lion smiled, because he did not know how a small creature like a mouse could be of any help to a mighty lion.The mouse bowed down and left silently.

An Honest Wood Cutter

Once there lived a poor woodcutter. He used to cut trees in the woods. One day he was cutting wood on the bank of a river. His axe fell down into the river. The river was deep. He could not take his axe out. He sat on the bank and began to weep.

Suddenly, a wise man  appeared. He asked the reason of his weeping. The woodcutter told the whole story. The man dived into the water and brought a golden axe. The woodcutter refused to take it. He again dived and brought a silver axe. The woodcutter did not take it either. Then he brought an iron axe. The woodcutter took it gladly. The wise man was much pleased. He rewarded the woodcutter with the other two axes.

Moral:

Honesty is the best policy.

The Dog And The Shadow

A DOG, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of flesh in his mouth, saw his own shadow in the water, and took it for another Dog, with a piece of meat double his own in size. He therefore let go his own, and fiercely attacked the other Dog, to get his larger piece from him. He thus lost both - that which he grasped at in the water, because it was a shadow; and his own, because the stream swept it away.

Moral:
It is not wise to be too greedy.

Source : http://www.litscape.com/author/Aesop/The_Dog_and_the_Shadow.html