ReflectionFable & folk tale
The Empty Pot
An old emperor gives every child in the land a single seed. Whoever grows the finest flower, he says, will rule after him. One boy's seed will not grow.
Wisdom, Reflection & Meaning
Reflective essays and stories about time, gratitude, happiness, change, purpose and what matters.
For thoughtful readers · 11 stories
ReflectionFable & folk tale
The Golden Touch
A god offers King Midas any wish he likes, and the king already loves gold more than anything. By the next morning, everything he touches shines.
ReflectionFable & folk tale
The Sage and the Scorpion
An old sage sees a scorpion struggling in the river and reaches in to save it. It stings him. He reaches in again.
ReflectionFable & folk tale
The Shortest Line
Emperor Akbar draws a line on the floor and sets his court a puzzle. Make it shorter, he says, without touching it.
ReflectionFable & folk tale
Two Monks and the River
Two monks bound by strict vows come to a flooded river, where a young woman is waiting, unable to cross. One of them does something the other cannot forget.
ReflectionFable & folk tale
The Blind Men and the Elephant
Six men who have never seen an elephant each touch a different part of one, and each is certain he knows exactly what it is. An ancient parable from India.
ReflectionFable & folk tale
The Old Man Who Lost His Horse
His horse runs away, and the neighbours say what bad luck. The old man only says, "Who knows?" An ancient Chinese story about good fortune and bad.
ReflectionClassic retold
The Three Questions
A king believes he would never fail if he knew three things - the right time, the right people and the right thing to do. Tolstoy's quiet parable about the answers.
ReflectionHistorical narrative
The Philosopher Who Asked a King to Move
The most powerful man in the world offered a poor philosopher anything he wanted. His answer has been remembered for more than two thousand years.
ReflectionFable & folk tale
A Cup of Tea
A proud professor visits a Zen master to learn about Zen, and talks the whole time. The master quietly pours him some tea, and keeps on pouring.
ReflectionReflection
The Things We Notice Only When We Slow Down
A reflection on hurry, attention and the quiet details of an ordinary day, and on what we might be missing while we rush towards the next thing.