SOME IMPORTANT STORIES A WOOD CUTTER AND THE GOD MERCURY Once there was a wood cutter ( ).

He went to the jungle, cut wood, sold it in the market and he thus fed his children. One day he was cutting some wood on the bank of a river. His axe slipped and fell into the river. He was very sad. The god mercury appeared. He asked him, Why are you sad? The wood cutter said, I have lost my axe with which I earned my daily bread. The god dived ( ) into the deep water and brought out a golden axe. The wood cutter refused ( ) to own it. The god dived again and brought out another axe made of silver. The wood cutter refused saying, My axe was not so beautiful. The god dived for the third time and brought out an axe made of iron. The wood cutter was delighted ( ) to see his axe and said, This is my axe. The god was so pleased with his honesty ( ) that he gave him the other two axes also as reward ( ) for his honesty. Moral: Honesty is the best policy OR Virtue is its own reward. OR One good turn deserves another A HARE AND A TORTOISE Once a hare ( ) and a tortoise ( ) were fast ( ) friends. They always lived together. Once the hare was in a good mood. He made fun of his heavy pace ( ) to tease the tortoise. The tortoise took it ill and challenged the hare to run a race. The swift-footed ( ) hare laughed at the challenge. He accepted it and the race began. The hare took a few hops and was soon far ahead of the tortoise. He lay under a cool shady tree to rest and soon fell asleep. The tortoise walked on slowly and steadily ( ). He passed the sleeping hare. He carried on walking steadily. The tortoise was near the winning post when the hare awoke ( ). He ran as fast as he could but in vain. The tortoise had reached the winning post before him. The hare was ashamed ( ) and never again made fun of his friend. Moral: Slow and Steady wins the race. OR Never be proud Pride hath a fall OR Overconfidence is harmful A FOOLISH STAG Once a stag was drinking water at a pool. He saw his reflection in the clear water of the pool. He was greatly pleased to see his beautiful horns. He said in his mind, How beautiful my horns are! Suddenly he caught sight of his legs. He felt sad to see them. He said to himself, How unlucky I am to have such thin and ugly legs! Would that my legs were as beautiful as my horns! As he stood there thinking sadly, he saw hounds coming towards him. He ran to save his life. His nimble legs, which he hated so much, carried him away from the hounds, standing by him fully. Unfortunately his horns were caught in a bush. He tried hard to free himself but in vain. Soon the hounds came up and killed him. Moral: Do not find fault with the way of God. OR Appearances are often deceptive Pride hath a fall OR All that glitters is not gold. THE LION AND A MOUSE Once there lived a lion in a forest. One noon he was fast asleep under a shady tree. There was the hole of a mouse near the trunk of the tree. By chance the mouse climbed over the body of the lion. It disturbed the lions sleep. He woke up and caught the mouse in his paw. He was about to kill the mouse, when it said, O king of the forest! Spare my life. One day I will be of some use to you. The lion smiled, took pity on it and let it go. A few days later the same lion was caught in a hunters net. He tried hard to free himself, but in vain. He roared furiously. The same mouse heard his roar and ran to the place where the lion was caught in the net. It began to nibble the ropes with its sharp teeth. Before long it cut all the ropes and set the lion free. The lion thanked it and disappeared into the forest. Moral: Do good and have good. OR As you sow, so shall you reap. Kindness never goes unreward OR Virtue is its own reward. Make as many friends as you can. OR Forgiveness is the best way of revenge A THIRSTY CROW Once a crow was thirsty. He flew hither and thither in search of water. It was the month of June. The sun was very hot. It had not rained for some days. So, the tanks and ponds had no water at all. After a long labour, he saw a pitcher. He flew to the pitcher. He found that water was just at the bottom of the pitcher. He tried his best to drink the water with his beak but could not succeed. He saw some pebbles lying nearby. He carried the pebbles with his beak. He dropped them into the pitcher one by one. The level of the water started raising. As it came upto the mouth of the pitcher, the crow was able to quench his thirst. So, he drank water and flew away uttering Kain, Kain

Moral: a way.

Necessity is the mother of invention

OR

Where there is a will, there is

TWO FRIENDS AND THE BEAR Two friends lived in a village. They often bragged about true and sincere friendship. One day they set out for another village. On the way they passed through a forest. When they were walking through the forest, they saw a bear coming to their direction, at a distance. One of them hurriedly climbed up the tree and did not bother about the other. The friend who cold not climb up the tree lay on the grass quite breathless like a dead man. After sometime the bear came near him and smelt him. The bear thought him dead and took his way. When the bear went away, he selfish friend came down from the tree and went to his friend. He asked the friend what the bear had told him in his ear. The other friend was a wise fellow and he replied that the bear had told him that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Moral: A friend in need is a friend indeed.

THE LAMB AND THE WOLF Once a wolf felt very thirsty. He went to a stream to quench his thirst. While the wolf was drinking water in the stream, he say a lamb drinking water down stream at some distance. On seeing the lamb, his mouth watered. So the wolf made up his mind to devour that lamb. The wolf hit upon an excuse. He said to the lamb, Why are you making water dirty? the lamb replied, Sir how can I do that, the stream flows from you to me and not from me to you. The wolf got annoyed and said, Then, why did you rebuke me last year? The poor lamb replied, Sir, I was not even born then, I am six months old. These remarks of the lamb annoyed the wolf all the more and he ran towards the lamb saying, Then it must be your father or mother. Saying this, the wolf sprang upon the lamb and devoured him. Moral: Might is right. OR Beware of the wicked.

UNION IS STRENGTH An old man had three sons. They always quarreled among themselves. The old man tried in vain to improve their relations At last the old man fell ill. He was nearly on his death-bed. All the sons gathered round his bed. He asked them to bring a bundle of sticks. They obeyed him. He then asked them one by one to break the bundle. Every one of them tried his best but to no purpose. The old man smiled at their failure. He told them to untie the bundle and break the sticks one one. It was quite easy now. Even the youngest son broke the sticks easily. The old man said, Union is Strength The words were few but they had good effect upon them. They began to live in peace and happiness after his death. Moral: Union is Strength OR United we stand divided we fall.

NATURE CAN NEVER CHANGE One there was a tiger. He lived in a jungle. He was very clever. He killed many persons. Once he killed a woman with a gold bangle. The tiger kept the gold bangle with him. One day a man came there. He was standing on the bank of a stream. When he was going cross the stream, the tiger came there. The man was afraid of him. The tiger cleverly told him not to afraid of him because he had become pious and kept praying. The simple poor fellow did not understand his trick. The tiger offered him the gold bangle. The man was greedy. He at once accepted the offer. But the moment he came near the tiger to get the gold bangle, he tore him into pieces.

Moral:

Nature can never change.

OR

Greed is a curse.

Write a letter to your father requesting him to send you some money for the purchase of books. Examination Hall, City A.B.C. Sept 20, 2007. Dear Father, Hope to find you in the best of your health. You will be glad to know that I have passed the class 8 th and now I am in 9th class. I have got 710 marks out of 850 and I hope to improve my position. You know I have to appear in the board examination this year. I face some difficulty in Physics and Biology. To cover this I want to buy some handbooks and notes. For this purpose I need 600 rupees. Please send me this amount earliest possible. Remember me to everybody. Your loving son, Roll No.

Write a letter to your uncle thanking him for the birthday present. Examination Hall, City A.B.C. Sept 20, 2007. My dear uncle, Today, I have received your parcel. With surprise I have opened it. There is a beautiful watch in it. Seeing it I am over joyed. I was without a watch so far. I always desired to have a one. It will be of great use to me during the examination days. It will regulate my life. Moreover it will always remind me of your great love for me. Regard to everyone. Yours loving nephew, Roll No.

Write a letter to your friend congratulating him on his success in the examination. Examination Hall, City A.B.C. Sept 20, 2007. My dear friend, Aslam told me this morning that you had been declared successful in the Matric examination. You stood fifth in the whole list. It is, indeed, a splendid success of you. I congratulate you on your brilliant success. I told about this to my mother and father. They were also very glad to know it. Say my regards to your parents and love to your younger brother.

Yours sincerely, Roll No A letter to a friend about the choice of a profession. Examination Hall, City A.B.C. Sept 20, 2007. My dear friend, In your recent letter, you have raised a basic question, about the choice of a profession. No doubt, everyone has to face the question in life, which is most baffling to answer satisfactorily. It is up to the parents and teachers to diagnose the germs of inclination in their children and thus to guide them correctly in the direction of future profession. The role of the student is also very important. I think that our homeland is today in dire need of good teachers; teachers dedicated to the cause of teaching besides intellectual and spiritual uplift for the coming generations. Without really good and efficient teachers, the whole structure of society is likely to crack and fall. In view of the above please, my vote goes in favour of the teaching profession. Please convey my to your father and mother. Yours sincerely, Roll No.