

The Father and his Sons.A Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling amongthemselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations,he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had doneso, he placed the bundle into the hands of each of them in succession,and ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all theirstrength, and were not able to do it. He next unclosed the faggot, andtook the sticks, separately, one by one, and again put them into theirhands, on which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in thesewords: "My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other,you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all attempts of your enemies;but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easilyas these sticks." Disunited families are easily injured by others. From Aesop's Fables |