A wisdom tale from Japan. On the top of the hill lived the village curmudgeon. No one knew why the farmer was so ornery, yet he never seemed to have a kind word to say. No one knew why he was so inhospitable, yet he would not even open his door to visitors....

Hannah Salwen looked left. She saw a man who was homeless, sitting on a fence. She looked right, at the Mercedes beside them at the intersection. "Dad," she said, "if that man"—she pointed to the Mercedes—"had a less nice car, that man there" —she pointed to the man who was homeless—"could...

Inspired by "The Widow's Mite," a parable from Christian scripture. Read or tell the story. In a little village near Jerusalem, a long time ago, there was an old woman who didn't have much money. She grew her own fruit and vegetables and had a chicken that gave her eggs. One day, she was walking...

On Steve's sixth birthday, many people gave him gifts. His mother gave him a chess set and promised to teach him how to play after dinner. His grandfather gave him a black rope that was twenty-five feet long and would be good for making forts and building bridges and all kinds of things....

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story, "The Two Brothers" Optional: Two shoeboxes, markers, and mural paper (a large roll of paper) or a small bath mat Preparation for Activity Read the story, "Two Brothers." Optional: Gather the materials you will need to tell the...