Rest Day Read September 25, 2010

Rest Day Read (SR-49)
Aesop's Fables: Four to Live By
(with Coach Hays translations)
The Hare and the Tortoise
The Hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. "I have never yet been beaten." said he, "when I put forth my full speed.  I challenge any one here to race with me."
The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept you challenge."
"That is a good joke." said the Hare. "I could dance around you all the way."
"Keep your boasting till you've been beaten." answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?"
So the course was fixed and a start was made. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap.  The Tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the winning-post and could not run up in time to save the race.  Then said the Tortoise:
"Plodding wins the race."
Show up & work hard every day.  
Everyone gets better every day.  
Do your job every day.  
Every man, every play.

The Fox and the Grapes
One hot summer's day a Fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. "Just the thing to quench my thirst." quoth he.  Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch.  Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success.  Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: "I am sure they are sour."
It is easy to despise what you cannot get.
Shoot FOR the moon, not AT the moon.
Learn from failure, don't accept failure.
Improve from failure, don't spread blame for failure.

The Dog and the Shadow
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace.  Now on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook.  As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath.  Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also.  So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
Appreciate what you have and what you are.
Take what you are blessed with and make it better.
Protect what is yours.
The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him: this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his jaws to swallow him.  "Pardon, O King." cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?"  The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.  Some time after, the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on.  Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
Everyone has something to offer.  
Everyone is important.  
Everyone contributes.  
Be the best YOU that you can be.