Pride and Arrogance
Long long ago, there was a forest. A small river flowed through it. There were pine trees and cane plants on the banks of the river. There was soft, green grass by the side of the river too.
The pine trees were strong and tall. They always stood erect. They never bent down. Even before the gushing water and wild wind, they never succumbed. They were very proud. It was against their nature to bend down. They were tall. So, they always thought that they were never meant to be lowered down. On the contrary, the cane plants were of adjustable nature. They never felt ashamed of bending down. They were completely aware of their strength and limitations. They were of humble nature. They , therefore, adjusted with the situations.
One day, there was a big storm in the forest . there were whirlwinds, thunder, lightning and rain, too. All the plants and trees in the forest were badly hit. The storm was so severe that the pine trees were surprised. They had never seen such a storm and rain before !
When the storm and rain became more ferocious, the pine trees had to yield to the strength of the rain and storm. As adjusting with the situations was completely against their nature, they were uprooted. The brimming water of the river washed them away. But the cane trees were intact in their place. Even the fierce wind could do no harm to them. They saved their existence due to their soft humble nature. Flexibility in nature helped them save their life. They bent down in the direction of the wind and the water of the river. Therefore, the cane plants held themselves firmly to the soil.
The uprooted pine trees looked at the cane trees with great sorrow and said, ‘’our big size and great strength too could do nothing to save us from the storm. How could you manage to save your existence from such a ferocious storm even though you are small, tender and delicate ? ”
The cane plants replied, ‘’you always boasted of your big size and great strength. You never compromised with the situation even if you were not left with any other option. You always thought adjusting with the nature was against your personal dignity. Therefore you were uprooted. You had to lose even your own exercise due to your arrogant nature. While compromising with the situation was never humiliating for us. So, we are firmly rooted here. None could displace us. In fact, it is the modesty and humility of nature which helped us in the hour of trouble.” It is rightly said, “Pride destroys but modesty saves.”
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