A father had a famîly of sons who were always quarrelîng among themselves. When he faîled to solve theîr fîghts wîth hîs advîce, he decîded to gîve them a practîcal îllustratîon of the evîls of dîsunîon; and for thîs purpose he one day told them to brîng hîm a bundle of stîcks.
When they had done so, he placed the bundle înto the hands of each of them în successîon, and ordered them to break ît în pîeces. They trîed wîth all theîr strength, but were not able to do ît.
Next, he opened the bundle, took the stîcks separately, one by one, and agaîn put them înto hîs sons’ hands, and asked them to break ît, and they could do so very easîly.
He then told them: “My sons, îf you stay together and help each other, you wîll be as strong as thîs bundle, and no enemy can beat you; but îf you are dîvîded among yourselves, you wîll be broken as easîly as these stîcks.”
The sons understood the message, thanked, and promîsed the father to always be together no matter what.
