The Wise Elder

Once upon a time, in a small village nestled in the mountains, there lived an elder known for his wisdom. The villagers would often come to him seeking advice on various matters, and he would always have a wise word or two to offer.
One day, a group of young men came to him seeking advice on how to live a fulfilling life. The elder listened to them patiently and then took them to a nearby river. He asked each of them to pick up a stone and follow him.
As they walked along the river, the elder stopped at a point where the water was shallow and asked the young men to throw their stones into the water. They did as they were told, and the elder then asked them to pick up another stone and follow him again.
This time, they walked further upstream, and the elder stopped at a point where the water was deeper. He asked the young men to throw their stones into the water again. They did as they were told, and the elder then asked them to pick up one more stone and follow him.
This time, they walked even further upstream, and the elder stopped at a point where the water was so deep that they could not see the bottom. He asked the young men to throw their stones into the water yet again. They did as they were told, and the elder then asked them to return to the village.
When they reached the village, the elder asked the young men what they had learned from throwing the stones into the river. The first young man said that he had learned that the water was shallow in some places and deep in others. The second young man said that he had learned that the water was clearer in some places than in others. The third young man said that he had learned that the water was so deep in some places that he could not see the bottom.
The elder smiled and said, “Just as the river has different depths and clarity, so does life. Sometimes, life will be shallow and easy, and other times it will be deep and difficult. But no matter what, you must keep moving forward and never give up. Just like the stones you threw into the river, the actions you take in life will have a ripple effect. So, make sure that your actions create positive ripples and not negative ones.”
The young men were amazed by the elder’s wisdom and thanked him for his advice. From that day on, they lived their lives with greater purpose and understanding, always remembering the lessons they had learned

Moral

1. Respect your elders: The story emphasizes the importance of showing respect to elders, as they possess knowledge and wisdom that can benefit us.
2. Listening is important: The young man in the story learns a valuable lesson by listening to the wise elder’s advice. Listening to others can help us gain knowledge and make better decisions.
3. Don’t judge based on appearances: The young man initially judges the elder based on his appearance, but he later realizes that the elder’s wisdom and knowledge are more important than his physical appearance.
4. Patience is key: The elder’s advice to the young man to wait and observe before taking action teaches us the importance of patience in decision-making.
5. Humility is important: The elder’s humility in admitting that he does not know everything is a reminder that we should always be open to learning from others and admitting our own limitations.

Origin of the Story: Nigeria