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One sunny morning, a quick and confident hare was bragging to all the animals in the forest. "I am the fastest creature in all the land!" he boasted. "Nobody can outrun me!"

The slow tortoise, who happened to be passing by, looked up and said gently, "I will race you, Hare." The hare burst out laughing. "You? Race me? This will be the easiest win of my life!"

So the animals gathered, and the race began. The hare zoomed ahead at lightning speed, leaving the tortoise far behind. Halfway to the finish line, the hare looked back and saw nothing but empty road. "I have so much time," he thought. "I'll take a quick nap under this shady tree."

While the hare slept, the tortoise plodded on. Step by careful step, he never stopped. He passed the sleeping hare without a sound. When the hare finally woke up and looked toward the finish line, his eyes went wide — the tortoise was crossing it!

"Slow and steady," the tortoise smiled, "wins the race."

The lesson: Hard work and persistence beat raw talent without effort.

Deep in the African savanna, a mighty lion lay napping in the warm afternoon sun. A tiny mouse, scurrying across the grass, accidentally ran right over the lion's paw.

The lion woke with a roar and pinned the trembling mouse beneath his enormous claw. "How dare you wake me!" he thundered. "I shall eat you!"

"Please, great lion!" squeaked the mouse. "Spare my life! Some day I may be able to help you in return!"

The lion laughed so hard at the idea of a tiny mouse helping him that he let the little creature go.

A week later, the lion was caught in a hunter's net, ropes tight around his body. He roared and roared, but he could not break free. The little mouse heard him and came running. With his sharp teeth, the mouse chewed through the ropes one by one until the lion was free.

"You see?" said the mouse. "Even a small friend can save a great life."

The lesson: Be kind to everyone — you never know who might help you one day.

A young shepherd boy was tending his flock of sheep on a quiet hillside. One afternoon, bored of watching the sheep graze, he decided to play a trick on the villagers below.

"Wolf! Wolf!" he shouted, running down the hill. "A wolf is attacking the sheep!"

The villagers grabbed their tools and ran up the hill — only to find the boy laughing, with no wolf anywhere. They went home, annoyed.

The next day, the boy did it again. "Wolf! Wolf!" he yelled, and again the villagers came running, only to be tricked. "Don't lie about the wolf!" they warned him sternly.

That very evening, a real wolf came stalking through the trees. The boy ran toward the village shouting, "Wolf! Please, this time it's real!"

But the villagers had had enough. "We won't be tricked again!" they said, and they stayed in their homes.

By the time the boy returned to the hill, the wolf had scattered the flock and a sad lesson had been learned.

The lesson: People who lie aren't believed even when they tell the truth.

A scholar once visited a famous Zen master, hoping to learn about Zen. The master invited him to sit and brought out a tea set.

As the scholar talked at length about his theories, his university degrees, and his years of study, the master quietly began to pour tea into the scholar's cup. The cup filled. Still the master poured. The tea overflowed onto the saucer, then onto the wooden table, then onto the floor.

"Master, stop!" the scholar finally cried. "The cup is full! No more will go in!"

The master set the teapot down and looked at his guest. "Like this cup," he said softly, "you are full of your own opinions and beliefs. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

The reminder: Real learning requires the humility to set aside what we think we already know.

An old Cherokee was teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said. "It is a terrible fight, between two wolves."

"One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, false pride, and ego."

"The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

"This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person too."

The grandson thought for a long moment, then asked: "Grandfather, which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

The reminder: We become what we give our attention and energy to.

A farmer in old China had one son and one horse. The horse helped him work the fields. One day, the horse ran away.

"What terrible luck," said the neighbors. "How will you farm now?"

"We'll see," said the farmer.

A week later, the horse returned, bringing seven wild horses with it. The farmer's family was suddenly rich in horses.

"What wonderful luck!" said the neighbors.

"We'll see," said the farmer.

The next day, the farmer's son tried to break in one of the wild horses. He fell and broke his leg.

"What terrible luck," said the neighbors.

"We'll see," said the farmer.

A week later, soldiers came through the village conscripting young men for war. They saw the broken leg and passed the son by.

"What wonderful luck!" said the neighbors. The farmer just smiled.

The reminder: Don't be quick to label events good or bad. The story is never over.