Once upon a time, when animals could talk, there was a big buffalo living on a shepherd’s farm. The buffalo worked hard, helping the shepherd in the fields. In return, the shepherd took good care of him and kept him happy.
One day, the shepherd took the buffalo to eat grass. While the buffalo grazed, the shepherd sat under an apple tree to rest. Suddenly, a sneaky, hungry wolf spotted them. The wolf thought, “That buffalo would be a tasty meal! But first, I need to get the shepherd out of the way.”
The wolf jumped in front of the shepherd and the buffalo and said, “I have some questions for you. If you can’t answer them, the buffalo is mine!” The shepherd and buffalo were curious about what the wolf would ask.
The wolf asked, “Why does a strong buffalo with big horns work for a human?” The buffalo answered, “I help the shepherd plow his fields, and he gives me delicious food.” The wolf wasn’t satisfied. He asked the shepherd, “How do you make this huge buffalo obey you? Is that stick in your hand magic?” The shepherd smiled and said, “No, it’s not the stick. It’s our wisdom.”
The wolf scratched his head. “Wisdom? What’s that? That’s not a real answer! I could take the buffalo now, but I want to know about this ‘wisdom’ thing.” The shepherd said, “I can show you wisdom, but you have to agree to one thing: I’ll tie you to this tree so the buffalo stays safe while I go get it.” The wolf was so curious that he agreed.
The shepherd tied the wolf to the tree and left. The buffalo grinned, knowing the wolf was in for a surprise. The wolf didn’t understand why the buffalo was smiling and waited for hours. Finally, the shepherd returned with a big box. He opened it, but the wolf saw it was empty. “Where’s the wisdom?” the wolf asked.
The shepherd said, “It’s in there, in the corner. If you can’t see it, I’ll untie you so you can look closer.” The wolf climbed into the box, and the shepherd quickly shut the lid. He said, “Wisdom doesn’t fit in a box, wolf. It’s in the mind. You have to search for it like hidden treasure.”
The wolf, trapped inside, said, “I get it now! I won’t underestimate anyone’s mind again. I’ll be kinder and smarter. Please let me out!” The shepherd kept the wolf in the box for a whole day. The next morning, he and the buffalo saw that the wolf had learned his lesson and set him free.
The wolf thanked them and promised to be better. From then on, he was friendly with all the animals in the forest, from birds to bugs, and respected everyone’s mind.
Moral: Wisdom is more powerful than strength, and it’s something you gain by learning, not by tricking others. Respecting everyone’s mind makes you smarter and kinder.
