LESSON 30 A FATHER'S LESSON

A FATHER'S LESSON

squab-bling un-ion tight-ly un-tied

strength for-ward eas-il-y fag-got

1. A father had seven sons who could not agree among themselves. He had often told them how foolish they were to be squabbling; but they kept on, and gave no heed to his words.

2. One day, he called them all before him, and showed them a bundle of sticks, seven in all, bound very tightly together. "See which of you can break this small faggot," he said.

3. Each one took the faggot in his hands, and tried his best to break it over his knee; but it was so strong that he could not even bend it.

4. At last it was given back to the father, and the eldest of the sons, stepping forward, said, "We cannot break it."

5. Then the father untied the bundle, and gave a single stick to each of his sons.

Now see what you can do, he said. Each one broke his stick with great ease.

6. "My sons," said the father, "you may learn a Lesson from these sticks. If you will only stand together, you will be strong and hard to overcome; but if each one stands by himself, he will be weak and easily mastered. Remember that union is strength."