One year, the world was in a drought, the animals did not have enough food reserves, and countless people died of hunger. So, the animals prayed to the Jade Emperor, begging him to give down some food to save the famine animals.
When the Jade Emperor saw this, he ordered the Star of Gold to come down to earth and send some potatoes to feed the animals.
After the boar received his share of potatoes, it was too late to wipe clean the mud on it, so he swallowed it whole and stuffed it into his stomach; the white rabbit was busy cutting the potatoes into small slices and kept gnawing .except for the squirrel, everyone started to enjoy their fair share.
The squirrel, on the dry and cracked ground, dug out a small pit, buried his share of potatoes one by one, and went far away to scoop up water to water the potatoes just buried in the ground.
“Silly boy, aren’t you hungry?” The burping boar asked in disbelief when he saw the little squirrel planting the potatoes into the ground.
“Of course, I’m hungry too!” The squirrel said with difficulty, covering his belly, singing “Empty City.”
“Then you must not like potatoes?”
“No, I like them very much!”
“If so, why didn’t you eat the potatoes instead of planting them?”
“After eating these potatoes, they will only last for a while. What about the future? I planted it, and then I will be able to harvest a lot!” The little squirrel said with hope.
Then, the little squirrel only nibbled a little bark to fill the hunger. It had to go far away daily to pick water to water the potatoes. Still, it is very happy to do because it knows that the drought does not know when to end and can only help them through the crisis themselves. The Jade Emperor’s gift can only solve temporary difficulties.
Looking at the potato seedlings growing taller daily, the little squirrel believed he could solve the immediate challenges.
After a while, the animals who ate all the potatoes were again hungry, so they gathered together and begged the Jade Emperor to reward them with some food.
At this time, the Jade Emperor appeared. He said angrily: “I can only save you for a while, but not for a lifetime. You find your solution. I now order the Dragon King of the East Sea to send rain, last time, if you planted potatoes, this time, you can have a big harvest.”
As a result, only the squirrels harvested potatoes after rain, while other animals could only rely on grass roots to feed their hunger.
From then on, the squirrels lived a good life of self-sufficiency.
When the disaster came, the squirrel did not “wait,” “rely upon,” “want,” but acted actively and relied on its strength and wisdom to start self-help, and finally got rid of the difficulties and lived a happy life. He eventually escaped from the trouble and lived a happy life.
This parable tells us: that when encountering difficulties, do not rely too much on others, but find your solutions, knowing that others can only help you for a while, but the real savior is yourself.
As the saying goes: drip your sweat, eat your food, do your work; rely on the sky, rely on the ground, rely on the ancestors, is not a good man! Remember this saying, and it can benefit you for a lifetime.
