The Bundle of Sticks

An old man, wise with years and experience, lived with his many sons. These sons, though strong and capable, constantly bickered and argued over trivial matters, refusing to cooperate or listen to each other. This constant discord caused their father great sorrow and fractured their family’s strength.

The old man tried everything to unite them. He offered advice, shared stories of unity, and even disciplined them, but nothing seemed to work. Their disagreements persisted, undermining their collective well-being and hindering their progress. He worried deeply about their future, knowing that a house divided cannot stand. Therefore, driven by his age and the weight of his concern, one day the old man called his sons to his bedside. He asked one of them to bring him a bundle of sticks, tightly bound together. Placing the bundle in the hand of his eldest son, he said, “My son, please break this bundle of sticks.”

The eldest son, a powerful and muscular man, took the bundle. He strained and grunted, applying all his strength, but the tightly bound sticks resisted all his efforts. He twisted, he pulled, he bent, but the bundle remained intact. Finally, he gave up, shaking his head.

The old man then passed the bundle to each of his other sons, one by one, asking them to break it. Each son, strong in his own right, tried with all his might. They huffed and puffed, their faces reddening with effort, but none succeeded. The united bundle proved unbreakable.

With a gentle smile, the old man then took the bundle back. He carefully untied the cord that held the sticks together, loosening them until they lay as individual pieces. “Now, my sons,” he said softly, handing a single stick to each of them, “try to break just one stick.”

One by one, with minimal effort, each son easily snapped their single stick in two. The dry wood broke with a crisp sound.

The old man looked at his sons, his eyes filled with love and wisdom. “You see, my children?” he explained. “Individually, you are like these single sticks: easily broken. But if you stand together, united in purpose and harmony, you become like the bundle of sticks – unbreakable. When you quarrel and stand divided, you become vulnerable. However, when you support each other, no adversary or misfortune can overcome you.”

From that day forward, the sons understood their father’s profound lesson. They learned to value unity, resolved their differences, and worked together, becoming a strong and respected family in the land.

Moral of the Story: Union is strength. In unity, there is strength; divided, we fall.