Zhuangzi | China
The Fighting Roosters
A Prince had a champion rooster, but it became fearful in fights until a trainer taught it to be calm and focused, making it the best fighter.

Once upon a time, there was a Prince who loved to watch rooster fights. He had a champion rooster, the strongest and bravest of all. The Prince loved this rooster so much and was very proud of it.
One day, the Prince hired a trainer to make his rooster even stronger. The trainer took the rooster and started training him.
Every day, the trainer and the rooster worked together. The rooster learned to puff out his chest, spread his wings wide, and crow loudly. He looked very fierce, but every time he saw another rooster, he would run away in fear.
The Prince saw this and was very upset. He asked the trainer, "What have you done? My rooster used to be so brave, and now he runs away from every fight!"
The trainer replied, "Don't worry, Prince, I have a plan."
The trainer kept working with the rooster, teaching him to stay calm and focused. He taught the rooster to stop puffing out his chest and crowing. Instead, the rooster learned to stand tall and quiet, watching everything around him with sharp eyes.
After some time, the rooster became very calm and steady. He didn't look fierce or scary anymore. He looked peaceful and alert.
The Prince was puzzled. "This is not a fighting rooster anymore," he said.
But when another rooster came to challenge him, the Prince's rooster did not run away. Instead, he stood his ground, calm and ready. When the other rooster attacked, the Prince's rooster dodged and pecked back quickly. He was no longer a show-off, but he was a true fighter. He was not scared anymore, and he won every fight he entered.
The Prince learned that looking tough is not the same as being tough. Being calm and focused is more important than showing off. And that's how his rooster became the best fighting rooster in the land.



















