Modern Day Parables
The parable of the cookie is a wonderful story. It has simplicity, an unexpected twist, yet a clear message.
A Modern Day Parable – The Cookies
A young lady was waiting in the airport’s departure lounge. There was a delay so she bought some cookies.
She sat down in an armchair and read her book
Beside her sat a pleasant young man reading his book. Neither spoke.
The young lady took her first cookie. Much to here surprise, the young man also took a cookie.
This continued until there was only one cookie left.
Then the man took the last cookie and divided into half. That was too much, she still did not say anything, but snatched up her book and stormed off to the departure queue.
PowerPoint Presentation – The Cookie Parable
Check out our PowerPoint Presentation and see what she found in her handbag much later. It explains the modern day parable of the cookie perfectly.
A modern day parable PPT (Right click Save Target As)
More Parables
Will and Guy have chosen to bring you these ‘parables’ [stories with religious or moral meanings] from classical Chinese literature.
Each one, like all parables, has a meaning. Some are easier to understand than others. The Chinese have long had a tradition of parables from the time of Confucius to modern times.
Seagulls by Lie Zi
A young man who lived by the sea loved seagulls. Every morning at daybreak he would go to the seaside and play with the gulls. Hundreds of gulls would come to him and not fly away.
His father said, ‘I heard that seagulls like to play with you. Catch a few for me so that I can play with them too.’
The next morning when the father went to the seaside the seagulls swooped about in the skies but none came down to him.
The message of this parable is that one may try, but unable to, hide one’s inner thoughts. Even birds and animals can sense one’s true feelings.
Chinese Parable of the Lost Axe by Lie Zi
A man who lost his axe suspected his neighbour’s son of stealing it. To him, as he observed the boy, the way the lad walked, the expression on his face, the manner of his speech – in fact everything about his appearance and behaviour betrayed that he had stolen the axe.
Not long afterwards the man found his axe while digging in his cellar. When he saw his neighbour’s son again, nothing about the boy’s behaviour nor appearance seemed to suggest that he had stolen the axe.
Please send us your parable.
