Click to Hear a Reading of This Story
(You can scroll down to read along.)
Once upon a time there was an illustrious teacher who counselled young minds in a rather prestigious private school. His fame was such that pupils from all parts of the country and all walks of life came to be educated by him. Tuition was purposely kept low to allow anyone to apply, as character traits played a more important part in the selection process.
During the semester, when a pupil was caught stealing, the matter was immediately brought to the teacher’s attention along with the strong request from the outraged fellow students that the thief be promptly expelled. But the teacher simply ignored the matter.
After a passage of time the same pupil was again found guilty of the same misconduct but again the teacher abstained from taking any action.
Outraged students this time signed a petition strongly requesting the thief’s immediate dismissal, threatening to leave if this matter wasn’t satisfactorily resolved.
This time the teacher called the protesting body of students before him and said, “You may all leave if you must but he shall stay. You are all fortunate enough to know right from wrong. This unfortunate pupil however does not. Would you have me turn him out into the world when he is the one most in need of my guidance?”
The assembled students bowed their heads in shame while the thief burst into tears and repented. He never stole again and was a model student thereafter.
Fini
