AROUND THE GLOBE TALES

Africa

• Friends
• The Root of the Matter
• The Three Runners
• Uncle Spider
• Royal Servant
• The Tailless Dassie

Bhutan

• Family Misfortunes

Birbal story

• Birbal Catches A Thief

China

• Gasping Grasper
• The Short-sighted Brothers
• Moment of Madness
• Secret Of Casket
• Chicken Feed
• Why Cats Chase Rats
• Struck by Lightning
• Sound Advice
• The Generous Student
• The Naming Game
• Butterfly Lovers

Europe

• Force of Habit
• The Fisherman Who Rose Too High

France

• Wish List

Indonesia

• Double Trouble

Italy

• Advice

Japan

• Learning from the Enemy
• The Witch in the Tower
• Little One Inch
• Not True
• Coloured

Korea

• The Tiger's whisker
• The Sun-Goddess of Korea

Malaysia

• Totally Useful Youth

Myanmar

• Immune to Flattery
• Stomach Problems
• Why Crows are Black

Nepal

• Top Answers
• Dreams

Persia

• Disputed Waters

Philippines

• Making Haste Slowly

Rome

• The Dissatisfied Devotee

Russia

• Passport

West Africa

• Tug of War

Making Haste Slowly

A trader bought a large number of coconuts at a village, and loading them on to his horse cart set off for home. Encountering a boy, a little later, he asked him how long it would take to reach the main road.
" Go slowly, and you'll reach it in ten minutes," replied the lad, "but if you go fast it'll take you half an hour or more."
" Fool!" shouted the trader, and drove away at breakneck speed. Fifty metres down the road, one of the wheels struck a stone. The jolt sent the coconuts flying in all directions. It took the man a long time to gather all the coconuts and put them back in the cart. Afterwards, he climbed back wearily into the driver's seat, and with the boy's words ringing in his ears, drove slowly and cautiously the rest of the way.

A tale from the Philippines, cautioning against haste.