Four classic inspirational stories

1. The Grace of Adversaries

A powerful jaguar, freshly arrived from foreign regions, was accommodated in a grand enclosure within the city's zoo. Despite being provided with delicacies and granted ample space for roaming, the wild animal withered, its spirit broken due to solitude.

Desperate, the zookeepers introduced a rival into the jaguar's territory—another formidable predator. To their astonishment, the jaguar invigorated itself, its vitality rejuvenated by the presence of a worthy foe.

Moral: In life, a worthy adversary can be an impetus to greatness, propelling us to heights unimaginable in complacency. Embrace your challengers, for they are the whetstones upon which your skills are sharpened. Give thanks for their existence, for without them, you would be merely a shadow of your true potential.

2. The Shattered Vase

A traveler carried a vase of exquisite workmanship on his journey. Unfortunately, it slipped from his hold and broke upon a stone. Passersby bewailed the loss, yet the traveler continued his journey, unmoved.

Curious, one among them queried his indifference. The traveler responded, "What is done is done. The vase is lost, and lamenting will not repair it. It is better to proceed on my path than to dwell on what cannot be undone."

Moral: To be liberated from the pain of loss, one must learn to let go. What has passed is beyond our reach; to cling to it is foolish. If regret could restore the past, then let sorrow flow. But since it cannot, let us forge ahead and create anew.

3. The Mirror of Hope

A young man, at the peak of his life, was struck by the cruel hand of fate—a diagnosis of leukemia. Despair engulfed him, and he rejected all attempts at recovery. Escaping the confines of the hospital, he wandered aimlessly until the strains of a blind minstrel's music reached his ears. The minstrel, though blind, carried a mirror with him.

Intrigued, the young man inquired about its purpose. The minstrel spoke of hope, of a dream that one day he might behold his own reflection. The young man, moved by the blind man's faith, returned to confront his illness with newly-found courage. Through trials most grievous, he emerged victorious, his spirit tempered by optimism and determination.

4. The Stone on the Path

King Ferdinand decided to select an heir among his ten princes. Secretively, he directed a minister to place a huge "boulder" on a road flanked by water, blocking anyone who desired to pass. One could either shift it aside, climb over it, or find an alternative way around it. Subsequently, the king sent his princes to deliver a sealed letter to a minister through this path. The princes promptly accomplished their tasks.

Ferdinand began questioning the princes:"How did you manage to deliver the letter?"

One responded,"I climbed over the boulder."

Another said,"I rowed a boat across the water."

Some mentioned,"I swam across the river."

Only the youngest prince stated,"I ran along the road."

"Did the boulder not obstruct your path?" Ferdinand enquired.

"I pushed it with all my might, and it rolled into the river," the youngest prince answered.

"How did you even think of pushing such a gigantic rock?"

"I merely attempted," the prince explained,"and to my surprise, it moved."

It emerged that the "boulder" was made from lightweight material by Ferdinand and his minister. Naturally, the prince who dared to attempt inherited the throne.

Moral: Entrusting one's fate completely to others, without involving one's own thoughts, is risky. It is necessary to control one's destiny.