The Bundle of Sticks: A Story About Working Together
An old farmer has five sons who love each other but fight about everything: who gets the biggest share of food, who works hardest, even who can shout the loudest. He's tried talking, scolding and giving advice. Nothing works.
So he tries something different. He asks each son to bring him a bamboo stick, then has them tie all the sticks into one bundle. "Now try to break it," he says. Each son twists, pulls and presses it against his knee. The bundle won't snap.
Then the farmer has them untie it and take one stick each. Snap, snap, snap. The single sticks break easily. The brothers look at each other and get it. Tied together they were strong. Alone they broke. From that day on they help each other and stop fighting so much.
What kids can learn
This is the old fable often called The Bundle of Sticks, and the lesson is simple: we're stronger when we stick together. It's a good one for siblings, classmates or anyone on a team.
Talk about it: Why couldn't the brothers break the bundle? When is a time your family or class worked better together?
