Three years ago, Mike and Ben took a holiday on the beach. They had a quarrel(吵架). Mike hit Ben on the face. Ben was hurt and he wrote in the sand, "Today my best friend hit me on the face."

    After that, they took a taxi back to their hotel. After dinner, Ben started to read. Mike went for a walk in the park. Suddenly, an earthquake happened. The small hotel fell down and Ben was under the hotel. Mike saved him. Ben wrote on the stone. "Today my best friend saved my life."

    Mike asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now you write on the stone, why?" Ben answered, "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in the sand, and then the wind can blow it away. When someone helps us, we must carve(雕刻) it in stone, then the winds can't blow it away."

    Two brothers took a trip in the forest together. At noon they took a rest and fell asleep. When they woke up, they saw a stone next to them. There were words written on the stone: Let whoever finds this stone go into me forest. In the forest a river will appear. Let him swim across the river to the other side. There he will see a bear and her baby. Let him take the baby from her and run up the mountain with them. On the top of the mountain he will find happiness."

    After reading the words, the younger brother said, "Let us go together. We can find happiness."

    "I am not going into the forest," said the elder brother. "It's too dangerous. We may get lost. We may be eaten by the bear. Instead of finding happiness, we may die at last."

    "In my opinion," said the younger brother, "you are wrong. If you do not make an effort and try hard, nothing in the world will be achieved."

    Then the younger brother set off, and the elder remained behind.

    The younger brother did all the things. When he reached the top of the mountain, the people came out of their houses to meet him and made him their king. He had been a king for five years. In the sixth year, another king captured his country. The younger brother became an ordinary man again.

    One day, the younger brother arrived at the house of his elder brother. The elder brother was living m a village, neither rich nor poor. "You see," said the elder brother, "l was right. Though you may have been a king, you have nothing now.

    "I don't think so," replied the younger brother. "I may have nothing now, but I shall always have something to remember, but you have no memories at all."

    One day, I walked into a stranger as he walked by me. "Oh, excuse me." I said. He replied with a smile and said, "Please excuse me, too. I wasn't watching out for you." We apologized(道歉) and went our own ways.

    Later that day, when I was cooking, my daughter was standing too close to me. When I turned to reach for some milk, I nearly knocked her over. "Move out of the way." I shouted. She walked away sadly. But I didn't feel like I had to apologize to her.

    While I was in bed that evening, my husband said to me, "Dealing with a stranger, you were polite, but with a daughter you love, you were unkind. Your daughter brought you some flowers that she picked herself this afternoon. You'll find them in the kitchen by the door. Have you seen the tears in her eyes?"

    I quietly went and knelt down by my daughter's bed. "Honey, I am so sorry." I said, "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" She said, "I found them by the tree. I picked them because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them especially the blue ones." I tearfully replied, "Sweetie, I'm really sorry for the way I acted today. I shouldn't have shouted at you." "It's okay. I love you anyway." she said as she kissed me on my cheek.

    If we can be polite to strangers, why can't we be kind to the ones we love?

    A farmer had a friend and his friend was famous for growing wonderful apple trees.

    One day, the farmer's friend gave him a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it.

    The farmer loved the gift. But when he got home, he did not know where to plant it. He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the apples. If he planted the tree in one of his fields, his neighbors would come at night and steal the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the apples. Finally he planted the tree in his wood. Nobody could see it, but there was no sunlight in his wood, the tree soon died.

    Later, the friend asked the farmer why he planted the tree in such a poor place. "What's the difference?" the farmer said angrily, "If I plant the tree near the road, strangers may steal the apples. If I plant the tree in one of my field, my neighbors may come at night and steal the apples. If I plant the tree near my house, my children may take the apples."

    "Yes," said the friend. "but at least someone could enjoy the apples. Now no one could eat the apples, and the apple tree died!"