Fortune And The Poor Man by Brothers Grimm

Story title: Fortune And The Poor Man
By: Brothers Grimm

         There was a poor man who complained loudly that life had been unfair. "Most of those who are rich did nothing to gain their wealth," he wailed to anyone who would listen. "They inherit their money from their parents."
         One day, as the man was walking home after having expressed his bitter feelings to some of his friends, Fortune appeared before him and said, "I have decided to provide you with wealth. Hold out your purse, and I will fill it with gold coins. But there is one condition: if any of the gold fails out of the purse onto the ground everything I gave you will become dust. Be careful. I see that your purse is old; do not overload it."
         The poor man was overjoyed. He loosened the strings of his purse and watched as Fortune started to pour a stream of golden coins into it. The wallet soon became heavy.
         "Is that enough?" Fortune asked.
        "Not yet," the man replied. Fortune poured in several more coins, so that the purse was filled, and then asked again, "Shall I stop now?" The man answered,
         "Not yet, just a few more."
          But at that moment, the purse split apart, the gold coins fell to the ground, and the treasure turned to dust. Fortune disappeared, and the greedy man was left with an empty wallet.

Facing Criticism Story by William Barclay

Story title: Facing Critism 
By: William Barclay

     Harold Nicholson was a building English politician. At the start of his career, he went to old Stanley Baldwin for advice. The political veteran said something like this to him, "You are going to be a statement and try to handle the affairs of this country. Well, I have had a long experience of such a life, and will give you three rules you had better follow.

STORY: Freedom To Serve by Tony Castle

Story title: Freedom To Serve
By: Tony Castle

    Several hundred years ago a wealthy plantation owner was attracted by the heartbreaking sobs of a slave girl who was about to step up to the auction block to be sold. Moved by an impulse of compassion, he bought her for a very high price and then disappeared into the crowd.
     When the auction was over, the clerk came over to the sobbing girl and handed her her bill of sale,

STORY: For A Favor, Ask Busy People by Peter Spangenberg

Story title: For A Favor, Ask Busy People 
By: Peter Spangenberg

    There was once a little flower standing alone in the desert. It was surrounded on all sides but sand and stones. The little flower dreamt daily of feeling some raindrops. She had been told how refreshing and important rain is. But none ever came. And so the little flower began to wilt. It was deathly afraid of the sizzling heat, of the loneliness, and of the howling wind.

STORY Fatherhood by Edgar Guest

Story title: Fatherhood 
by Edgar Guest

Someday the world will need a man

of courage in a time of doubt,

And somewhere as a little boy,

that future hero plays about.

Within some humble home, no doubt,

that instrument of greater things

No climbs upon his father's knee

of to his mother's garments clings.

And when shall do God's mission here

may be your little boy or mine.