The Horse and The Groom
A dedicated groom cared for a horse's appearance but neglected its nourishment until the horse urged him to prioritize feeding over grooming.
Once upon a time, there was a Groom who took care of a Horse. Day in and day out, he would brush the Horse's coat until it shone. He would clean the Horse's hooves until they sparkled. He always made sure the Horse looked its very best.
At the same time, the Groom was taking the Horse's oats. Instead of giving them to the Horse to eat, he sold the oats to others for his own gain.
One day, the Horse looked at the Groom and said, "It's wonderful that you make me look so good. But if you truly want me to be healthy and strong, you should spend less time brushing me and more time feeding me." The horse understood that a shiny coat and clean hooves were nice, but they couldn't satisfy its hunger.
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Once upon a time, there was a Groom who cared for a Horse.
Every day, he would brush the Horse’s coat until it shone brightly, and he would clean the Horse’s hooves until they sparkled.
The Groom took great pride in making sure the Horse always looked its best.
However, while the Groom was busy making the Horse look beautiful, he was secretly keeping the Horse's oats.
Instead of feeding them to the Horse, he sold the oats to others and kept the money for himself.
One day, the Horse looked at the Groom and said, "I appreciate that you make me look so good.
But if you really want me to be healthy and strong, you should spend less time brushing me and more time feeding me."
The Horse realized that while a shiny coat and clean hooves were nice, they couldn’t satisfy its hunger.
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Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the Groom was selling the Horse's oats instead of feeding them to the Horse?
- How did the Horse feel when he realized that the Groom was not feeding him properly?
- Can you think of a time when you looked really good on the outside, but felt different on the inside, just like the Horse?
- What does this story teach us about the importance of taking care of our internal needs, not just our external appearance?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story to our everyday life, in taking care of our health and well-being?
Fable Quotes
Responsibility is not just about appearances; it's about fulfilling the essential needs of those under our care.
True care means understanding the needs of others, for empathy bridges the gap between appearance and nourishment.
Seeing beauty is easy, understanding needs is the true kindness.
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