AN old Man had many Sons,
who were often
quarreling.
Their father tried
to make
them good friends, but he could
not.
At last
he called all his Sons to
him, and
showed them a
bundle of sticks tied
tightly
together.
"Now," said
the Father, "see if you can
break this bundle
sticks."
Then each of the Sons
took the bundle, and
tried with all
his might to break it, but not
one of them
could. When they had all tried,
and given it up, the Father
said, "Untie the
bundle, and each of
you take a stick, and see
if you can break
that." This they
could do
very easily. Then said
the Father:
"You
saw when the sticks were bound
to-
gether how strong they
were; but as soon as
they were
untied, you broke
them easily.
Now, if you would stop quarreling,
and stand
by each other, you would be like
the bundle of
sticks, ---no one could do
you any harm; but
if you do
not keep together, you will
be as
weak as one of
the little sticks all by
itself."