Pillow Time Story
Five gentle fables about honesty, useful talents, careful thinking, patience, and fairness.
An elderly woman was having trouble seeing. A healer promised to help her, and they agreed that she would pay him when her sight improved. During each visit, the healer quietly carried away something from her cottage—a cooking pot, a little table, and then a wooden chair. He thought she would never notice.
When the woman could see clearly again, she looked around her nearly empty home. The healer asked for his payment. The woman calmly told the village judge, “I must not be cured, because I can no longer see any of my furniture!” The judge understood her clever clue. The healer returned every item and apologized. Lesson: Calm thinking and honest words can uncover the truth.
A peacock loved his bright blue, green, and gold feathers. One day, he saw a grey crane beside a pond. “Your feathers are very plain,” the peacock said. “Mine are much more beautiful.” The crane smiled. “Your colors truly are lovely,” she replied. Then she opened her long wings and rose gracefully above the trees.
The crane circled over the pond before landing softly. “My feathers may not sparkle,” she said, “but they carry me across rivers and forests.” The peacock folded his tail and thought about her words. He understood that beauty and ability were both special in different ways. Lesson: What something can do may be more valuable than how it looks.
Some little birds were resting safely in their roomy garden home. A hungry cat hoped to trick them. He put on an old white coat, round glasses, and a hat. Carrying a tiny bag, he called, “Good morning! I am Doctor Cat. Please open the door so I can help you.” The birds looked through the wooden slats and recognized him at once.
“Thank you, Doctor Cat,” one bird answered, “but we are already feeling better.” “May I come inside just to make sure?” asked the cat. “No, thank you,” said the bird. “We will feel completely well when you leave.” The cat knew his costume had fooled no one, so he walked away. Lesson: A disguise does not make an unsafe stranger trustworthy.
At the first sign of spring, a young man saw one swallow in the sky. “Warm days are here to stay!” he decided. He sold his only warm coat and spent the money at once. That evening, chilly clouds arrived and soft snow began to fall. The young man stood beneath a shop awning, wishing he had waited before making such a quick choice.
Nearby, the swallow rested safely in a nest under the roof. The bird had never promised that winter was over. One early swallow was only one small sign. The young man borrowed a blanket, went home, and decided that next time he would check the weather and think carefully first. Lesson: One small sign is not enough for an important decision.
A young lamb drank from a clear forest stream. Across the water, a grumpy wolf complained, “You made my water muddy!” The lamb answered, “The stream flows from your side toward mine, so I could not have done that.” The wolf invented another complaint, and then another. The lamb realized that the wolf was not looking for the truth.
Instead of arguing, the lamb called for help. A shepherd and friendly sheepdog soon arrived. Seeing them, the wolf turned away and disappeared into the trees. The lamb returned safely to the flock. The shepherd praised the lamb for staying calm and getting help when the accusations were unfair. Lesson: Unfair people may invent excuses. Stay safe, speak truthfully, and ask a trusted grown-up for help.