As kids we’ve always loved stories and almost every story told to us had a moral in it, so much so that even if someone tells us a story without a moral we sometimes tend to think the story isn’t over yet. I remember some of the stories I was told when I was kid and then to all my cousins as they grew up and now to my nephews and nieces as they grow up. Surprisingly these stories and their morals have remained the same all these years.
How many of you noticed the asterisk besides “What’s the moral of the story?” and started searching for a potential fine print? That’s where I’m getting at now, I was thinking through some of the stories and realized that the morals taught in those stories are actually a con job and one could end up being a loser if he / she decides to live by it. So I thought I’ll make these morals more transparent by calling out the caveats so that people know what these morals truly mean.
The Hare and the Tortoise
This one is everyone’s favorite. Once upon a time there was a hare and a tortoise. The hare makes fun of the tortoise; the tortoise gets pissed off, calls the hare for a race. The hare knew what’s gonna happen so said “Challenge Accepted” and took off. The tortoise was up to a lousy start and was taking his own sweet time and walking aaraam sey. He had the will but there was no skill.
By now the hare had already covered more than half the distance, so the bugger sat under a tree and went off to sleep. The tortoise eventually reached the place where the hare was taking a nap (snoring to glory), went past him and finished the race. The hare got up after a while, realizing he’d over slept, the hare said “Oh SHIT” and ran to the finish line only to see the tortoise LOL at the hare from the other side of the finish line.
Moral of the Story: *Slow and steady wins the race.
*Caveat: You can be slow and steady and still win the race provided people who are competing with you are skilled but are either lazy or have serious attitude / will issues.
Woodcutter and his Axe
Once upon a time there was a woodcutter who was cutting trees by the river. While chopping down a tree, his axe slips from his hand and falls into the river. Not sure what to do he sits by the river crying and praying and “poof” appeared an angel from the water and asked him “what’s up?.” The dude said his axe fell in the river and without that he will not be able to make his living and all that.
So the angel goes into the river and comes back with a golden axe and asks if it was his, the woodcutter said no. So she went in again and this time came back with a silver axe and asked him if it was his, the woodcutter said no again. The angel went into the river for the third time and finally came back with his axe, the woodcutter said, “yes this is my axe, thanks.” The angel says “since you were honest you shall have all three axes,” leaves them with him and disappears.
Moral of the Story: *Truthfulness brings its own reward.
*Caveat: The above moral is applicable when you are self employed / a free lance and screw up at work. If you are employed elsewhere, you are sure to get your ass fired for screwing up like that.
The Boy who cried Wolf
Once upon a time there was this shepherd dude, who kept shouting “wolf wolf” for time pass. Every time he cried wolf, the farmers from the nearby fields used to come running thinking there is really a wolf and that the shepherd dude needs to be rescued. After the farmers get there this bugger will ROFL his ass out saying “I fooled ya’ll, I fooled ya’ll.”
This went on for quite some time and the farmers were losing it on this guy. One fine day a wolf actually came over and attacked the shepherd and he cried “wolf wolf.” The farmers thought he was chumma doing othla this time also and did not bother checking on him. The wolf ate this bugger and his goats and took off.
Moral of the Story: *We may not believe someone who often lies even when he tells the truth.
* Caveat: This moral is not applicable in Politics because regardless of you speaking the truth or lying people will still believe you.
How many of you noticed the asterisk besides “What’s the moral of the story?” and started searching for a potential fine print? That’s where I’m getting at now, I was thinking through some of the stories and realized that the morals taught in those stories are actually a con job and one could end up being a loser if he / she decides to live by it. So I thought I’ll make these morals more transparent by calling out the caveats so that people know what these morals truly mean.
The Hare and the Tortoise
This one is everyone’s favorite. Once upon a time there was a hare and a tortoise. The hare makes fun of the tortoise; the tortoise gets pissed off, calls the hare for a race. The hare knew what’s gonna happen so said “Challenge Accepted” and took off. The tortoise was up to a lousy start and was taking his own sweet time and walking aaraam sey. He had the will but there was no skill.By now the hare had already covered more than half the distance, so the bugger sat under a tree and went off to sleep. The tortoise eventually reached the place where the hare was taking a nap (snoring to glory), went past him and finished the race. The hare got up after a while, realizing he’d over slept, the hare said “Oh SHIT” and ran to the finish line only to see the tortoise LOL at the hare from the other side of the finish line.
Moral of the Story: *Slow and steady wins the race.
*Caveat: You can be slow and steady and still win the race provided people who are competing with you are skilled but are either lazy or have serious attitude / will issues.
Woodcutter and his Axe
Once upon a time there was a woodcutter who was cutting trees by the river. While chopping down a tree, his axe slips from his hand and falls into the river. Not sure what to do he sits by the river crying and praying and “poof” appeared an angel from the water and asked him “what’s up?.” The dude said his axe fell in the river and without that he will not be able to make his living and all that.
So the angel goes into the river and comes back with a golden axe and asks if it was his, the woodcutter said no. So she went in again and this time came back with a silver axe and asked him if it was his, the woodcutter said no again. The angel went into the river for the third time and finally came back with his axe, the woodcutter said, “yes this is my axe, thanks.” The angel says “since you were honest you shall have all three axes,” leaves them with him and disappears.
Moral of the Story: *Truthfulness brings its own reward.
*Caveat: The above moral is applicable when you are self employed / a free lance and screw up at work. If you are employed elsewhere, you are sure to get your ass fired for screwing up like that.
The Boy who cried Wolf
Once upon a time there was this shepherd dude, who kept shouting “wolf wolf” for time pass. Every time he cried wolf, the farmers from the nearby fields used to come running thinking there is really a wolf and that the shepherd dude needs to be rescued. After the farmers get there this bugger will ROFL his ass out saying “I fooled ya’ll, I fooled ya’ll.”This went on for quite some time and the farmers were losing it on this guy. One fine day a wolf actually came over and attacked the shepherd and he cried “wolf wolf.” The farmers thought he was chumma doing othla this time also and did not bother checking on him. The wolf ate this bugger and his goats and took off.
Moral of the Story: *We may not believe someone who often lies even when he tells the truth.
* Caveat: This moral is not applicable in Politics because regardless of you speaking the truth or lying people will still believe you.
