Parable of the Day: Two Friends Were Walking through the Forest

James and Sarah were walking together in the forest when they saw a bear coming from ahead. James deserted Sarah in the middle of the dangerous situation. Read on to see the moral of the story.

James and Sarah were best friends, and they decided to take a stroll in the forest. They walked a bit further than they anticipated, and the sun started to go down before they returned home.

The friends made a pact, promising that if anything dangerous should happen that they wouldn't leave each other but remain united because they could overcome anything together.

James and Sarah continued walking, and just as the sun started to head behind the tree line, they saw movement on the path ahead of them.

Both of them froze, trying to figure out what they had seen in front of them. Then, taking slow, shallow breaths, they saw the movement again, and this time, there was no mistaking it was bear coming towards them.

Without hesitating, James flew up the closest tree, climbing straight to the top. Sarah remained frozen in the same spot on the path, distressed because her tree climbing skills wouldn't allow her to get high enough before the bear came.

James didn't say or do anything to aid his friend; he looked down to see her moving her head left to right, evidently trying to figure out an escape route.

As the bear came even closer, Sarah remembered a survival trick she had heard at a school camp. She fell down on the ground and remained extremely still.

Because dead animals don't threaten bears, they usually don't bother them too much, and Sarah was fully relying on this knowledge for her survival.

The bear moved closer, walking at a steady pace toward Sarah, who was lying face down on the ground. He sniffed her all around, sticking his snout in her ear.

Somehow Sarah managed to remain still, even as the large animal placed his face close to hers. Eventually, the bear moved away, leaving Sarah gasping for air on the ground.

Jack came down from the tree when he saw that it was clear. He went to Sarah to see if she was okay and asked her what the bear said to her when he pressed his snout to her ear. Sarah said:

"He told me to not believe a false friend."

In this instance, Sarah learned the value of friends who keep to their promises and honor their word. When it comes down to the hard things in life, true friends stay by your side and do what they say they will do.