World Children's Story Classics: Family Stories

Chapter 15 The Farmer and the Quarrelling Sons

There was a farmer whose sons were always fighting with each other.He tried to persuade them many times, but despite his earnest efforts, it was of no avail.

Desiring to educate them with facts, he sent his sons to fetch a bundle of sticks.When the sticks were brought, he gave them the whole bundle first, and told them to break them.The sons tried their best one by one, but they couldn't break it.Then he untied the bundle of sticks and gave each of them one.They all broke the stick in two with no difficulty—then the farmer said: "My children, if you are united like a stick, if you work together, you will not be conquered by the enemy: but if you keep fighting with each other, it will be easy." Easily overwhelmed by the enemy."

(End of this chapter)