The Sparrow and the Monkey
It rained hard one evening, and a monkey sat shivering on a branch.
A little sparrow watched him from her warm, snug nest nearby.
"Why don't you build a house like mine?" she called. "You have hands, and I only have a beak."
The monkey was cold, tired and now embarrassed as well.
In his temper he shook the branch, and the sparrow's careful little nest fell into the rain.
Good advice, the sparrow learned, must also be given gently.
Even true advice can hurt if you give it unkindly.
Kind AdviceDid you know?
A weaver bird builds its hanging nest by tying hundreds of knots with its beak.
Try this at home
Say something helpful today, but say it kindly.
Questions to talk about
Ask these after reading. The answer is underneath each one.
Why was the monkey shivering?
Answer: It was raining
What was wrong with the sparrow's advice?
Answer: It was unkind
What is the moral?
Answer: Give advice kindly
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