Inspiration: Folk Tales & Stories

An Aesop's Fable A Gnat alighted on one of the horns of a Bull, and remained sitting there for a considerable time. When it had rested sufficiently and was about to fly away, it said to the Bull, “Do you mind if I go now?” The Bull merely raised his eyes and remarked,...

One day the Buddha held up a flower in front of an audience of 1,250 monks and nuns. He did not say anything for quite a long time. The audience was perfectly silent. Everyone seemed to be thinking hard, trying to see the meaning behind the Buddha’s gesture. Then,...

You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere. Why did you spill the coffee? “Well because someone bumped into me, of course!” Wrong answer. You spilled the coffee because there...

A Buddhist monk was walking barefoot down a dusty road when he stepped on something sharp. It stuck in his heel, so after a few steps he stopped to pull it out. Lo and behold! It was a very beautifully carved and very valuable gemstone. The monk rinsed it off at a...

Huitse said to Changtse, “I have a tree, and though it is large its trunk is so irregular and gnarled and its branches so twisted that it cannot be used for lumber. It stands right by the roadside, yet no carpenter will look at it. Your words are like that tree, big...

A Folk Tale from India Once upon a time there was a great king who ruled his people with generosity and kindness. He showed compassion for everything, for all the birds and animals and for every person, young and old. He also honored the gods. So good was the king...

One day a priest's one slipper fell into the river. The priest threw the other slipper into the water because he had no use for one slipper. A man was bathing in the river. He saw the slipper and threw it on the bank. But the slipper hit a man who was carrying a pot...

Once, a king's army was going back after a battle. Their food supplies got finished. The king asked his soldiers to go to a nearby village and get the grains. Some soldiers and their commander entered the village and met a farmer. The commander asked him, "Dear...

Once a farmer painted an advertisement for puppies to sell and was fixing it on the edge of his yard. As he was hitting last nail for board to be fixed on it’s place he felt a tug on his overalls. When he looked behind he saw a little kid. He asked, “What do you want...

A camel lived in a forest. He had a very bad habit of teasing or insulting other animals for their appearance. He would tease the elephant and say, "Oh! How fat and ugly you look. God has given two tails one in the back and one in the front." To the rhinoceros, he...

Once a very rich man went to see a Monk in order to seek advice from him about What he should do with his life, What’s purpose of his life. Monk led him over to window and asked him, “Can you see through the glass?? If yes, Tell me what you see??” Man replied, “I can...

A guy used to go for jog around a park. By the park there was a lake. On Sundays he used to see an elderly women sitting by lake side with a small metal cage beside her. The jogger was curious to see what she did there. So one Sunday he bucked up his courage and...

Swami Vivekananda had vast knowledge of both eastern and western culture. He had brilliant conversation skills and deep spiritual insight due to which in 1893 he was selected to be present Hinduism at the world’s Parliament of Religion which was to be heal at Chicago....

The lion king was busy appointing various animals at different posts. The cheetah had been made the army commander because he was quick to think and the fastest runner. The wise elephant had been made the prime minister. Time passed by and other animals also got their...

Once in small village lived a snake who used to attack and kill village animals. Villagers wanted to respect all creatures but they hated that snake because snake was not just attacking animals but now it also attacked the villagers children. All the villagers wanted...

Once a young man came to the Abbot of a monastery and said, “I really want to become a monk but I haven’t learned anything of importance in my life. Only thing i know is how to play chess because that’s what i have been learning from my father from young age but I...

Once Swami ji was for a stay in Rajasthan. When people got to know about him they started coming to him. Swami ji was tirelessly answering questions of everyone who was coming to him. This way three days and night passed. Swami ji was so involved in talking to people...

ONCE upon a time, ever so many years ago, Truth suddenly vanished from out of the world. When people perceived this, they were greatly alarmed and at once sent five wise men in search of Truth. They set out, one in this direction and one in that, all plentifully...

Nasreddin Hodja was lying in the shade of an ancient walnut tree. His body was at rest, but, befitting his calling as an imam, his mind did not relax. Looking up into the mighty tree he considered the greatness and wisdom of Allah. "Allah is great and Allah is good,"...