As it so happened the little mouse heard the lion’s cries and ran to his rescue. With its sharp teeth
the mouse gnawed through the strands of the net, cutting out a hole big enough for the lion to escape.
“You were right,” said the lion, thanking the mouse, “being kind can have its benefits. Do you
think it is possible for a mouse and a lion to be friends?” And it is said that the lion and the mouse re-
mained friends to this very day.
STORY 34
THE FOUR FAITHFUL FRIENDSTherapeutic Characteristics
Problems Addressed
■ Tackling a taskResources Developed
■ Building cooperative endeavors
■ Making offers to help others
■ Discovering how individual skills can contribute to a whole
■ Learning the values of friendship
■ Accepting differencesOutcomes Offered
■ Cooperation
■ Consideration
■ Friendships
■ Acceptance of differences
When I was trekking in a tiny little country called Bhutan, in the Himalayas—the world’s high-
est mountains—I heard an interesting story that children there hear from the time parents first start
to tell them stories. It is called the story of the Four Faithful Friends and tells a tale of a pheasant, a
rabbit, a monkey, and an elephant. It goes something like this.
One day the pheasant, a very beautiful bird with long, colorful feathers, found a seed and de-
cided to plant it. As the pheasant was scratching at the ground to dig a hole for the seed, a white,
long-eared rabbit came hopping by and asked, “Is there anything I can do to help you, my friend?”
“That is a nice offer,” answered the beautiful pheasant. “When I plant this seed, would you be
kind enough to water it?”
“Certainly,” said the long-eared rabbit. He took to his task with honor and pride, ensuring it re-
ceived plenty of water, especially throughout the dry season when he had to haul the water from a
nearby river.
A brown-furred monkey, spotting the pheasant and rabbit working away so industriously, swung
down from his tree and asked, “What are you doing, my friends? Can I help you?”
MANAGING RELATIONSHIPSManaging Relationships 107