The Bundle of Sticks
A free B1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
A father tired of his sons' constant quarrelling sets them a simple test with a bundle of sticks — one that makes his point better than words ever could.
A certain man had several Sons who were always quarrelling with one another, and, try as he might, he could not get them to live together in harmony. So he determined to convince them of their folly by the following means. Bidding them fetch a bundle of sticks, he invited each in turn to break it across his knee. All tried and all failed: and then he undid the bundle, and handed them the sticks one by one, when they had no difficulty at all in breaking them.
Seorang pria memiliki beberapa putra yang selalu bertengkar satu sama lain, dan meskipun ia sudah berusaha sekuat tenaga, ia tidak bisa membuat mereka hidup rukun. Maka ia memutuskan untuk meyakinkan mereka akan kebodohan mereka dengan cara berikut. Ia menyuruh mereka mengambil seikat ranting, dan meminta mereka bergiliran mematahkannya di atas lutut. Semua mencoba dan semua gagal: kemudian ia melepas ikatan itu, dan memberikan ranting-ranting itu satu per satu kepada mereka, saat itu mereka tidak kesulitan sama sekali untuk mematahkannya.
"There, my boys," said he, "united you will be more than a match for your enemies: but if you quarrel and separate, your weakness will put you at the mercy of those who attack you."
"Nah, anak-anakku," katanya, "bersatu kalian akan lebih dari sanggup melawan musuh-musuh kalian: tetapi jika kalian bertengkar dan berpisah, kelemahan kalian akan membuat kalian berada di bawah kendali mereka yang menyerang kalian."
Union is strength.
Bersatu kita teguh.
