Timed Reading — Aesop’s Fables

An old farmer had three sons who were always arguing with one another. They disagreed about almost everything and often refused to help each other with their work. The farmer was worried about their behavior. He knew that one day he would no longer be able to take care of the farm, and he wanted his sons to learn to work together.

One afternoon, he called his sons into the house. He brought out a bundle of sticks that he had collected from the forest. He asked his oldest son to take the bundle and break it in half. The son tried as hard as he could, using both hands, but the sticks would not break. He pushed harder, but the bundle remained together.

The farmer then asked his second son to try. He also struggled to break the bundle, but he could not do it. Finally, the youngest son took his turn. He pulled and twisted the sticks, but the bundle was too strong for him as well.

The farmer smiled and untied the bundle. He took the sticks apart and gave one to each of his sons. “Now try to break them,” he said. This time, each son easily broke his stick in half. The farmer then explained what he wanted them to understand.

“When you stand together, you are strong, just like these sticks. But when you are divided, you become much weaker. If you continue arguing and refusing to help one another, you will find it difficult to manage the farm. However, if you work together, you can overcome many problems.”

The three sons understood their father’s message. They realized that their arguments had made their lives more difficult and that they needed one another. From that day on, they began cooperating and sharing their responsibilities.