YAISHWARYAJ: {Awareness} Real men do not hit - The three brothers and the pot of gold [2 Attachments]

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Pedagogical Project

"The Joy of Reading"

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Dear Readers,

We would like to invite you to take part in a new project called "From Stories to Books".

The Stories for Everyone Team have been, for some time, gathering and selecting books that provide some sort of reflection on the fundamental ethical principles of

our society, such as solidarity, courage, honesty, respect for differences and a sense of justice, matters that have deserved the attention of writers from various

nationalities.

Therefore, the Stories for Everyone Team proposes to send, together with the usual weekly stories,and also free of charge, full texts of selected books.

In case you are interested in receiving each week, by email, a chapter of an extensive reading book, all you have to do is send an email to

books@storiesforeveryone.com or stories4ev@gmail.com by writing the following sentence in the subject field:

"Yes, I am interested in participating in the project From Stories to Books."

Hoping that this new proposal will meet your utmost interest, we look forward to your reply.

The Stories for Everyone Team

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This week's stories with PDF attachments:

- REAL MEN DO NOT HIT

- The Three Brothers and the Pot of Gold

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REAL MEN DO NOT HIT

James turns off the light and hears Alex´s breathing. Unfortunately, it will take longer for him to fall asleep because he can´t stop thinking about everything that happened. He can still hear his father´s voice, as if he were present, repeating again and again: ´Real men do not hit, James, real men do not hit.´ He looks at his friend, who seems to cry in his sleep, and starts to remember...

A few months before, Alex and his parents had moved into James´s building. As they attended the same school and the same class, the boys quickly became friends and began playing and exchanging confidences together. Alex was funny and, above all, a very nice boy. At home, James spoke with his parents about the new neighbours. His mother said that the lady seemed very shy and quiet, and that she barely greeted the neighbours. In fact, each time she did it, she lowered her head, as if she feared people might see her face. James´s father said that the husband was always at the bar or in the park, surrounded by noisy people and playing cards with a group of men.</ p>

Then, while James was walking out with his parents on a Sunday, Alex´s father introduced himself. He said his name was Peter and insisted on inviting them for an appetizer. When James´s parents asked about his wife he merely replied:

"She is at home. It´s better she doesn´t go out much."

Then, he added that Helen, Alex´s mother, didn´t like to go for walks in the street. As this piece of information, and the depreciating tone in which it was said, didn´t please James´s parents, they kindly declined the invitation.

Meanwhile, James and Alex became inseparable. They often did the homework together at James´s home and amused themselves by playing PlayStation or watching a DVD. James found it strange that Alex never invited anyone to his house, and he had also begun to notice that Alex hardly spoke and that he acted as if he were scared. Sometimes, he seemed a bit dazed, and there were bruises on his arms and legs, but he always said he didn´t remember where he had got them.

One afternoon, when they had agreed to play together, Alex was late and James went to his house. When Alex opened the door, James saw, to his dismay, that his friend´s eyes were red and that there was a bruise on his face. When James asked him what had happened, Alex only replied:

"Nothing. Come in, come in."

James thought that was the mark of a blow, but he didn´t insist on it. Down the hall, sitting on a couch, Alex´s mother was crying and clutching her bleeding nose with a handkerchief. James noticed such anguish in the face of his friend that he didn´t say anything. Instead, he did his best he could to distract him.

He had already forgotten the incident when, on a Saturday, they heard a tremendous noise coming from Alex´s flat. At first, they thought that they were moving some furniture around, and that something heavy had fallen to the ground. But Peter´s yells resounded throughout the house, and only ceased when he went out and slammed the door. James went to the window and saw Alex´s father walking away. Some neighbours came to the hall to find out what was going on. James´s parents exchanged very worried looks and asked their son if he had noticed anything strange in his friend´s behaviour. Somewhat frightened, he told them what he had seen that afternoon. When he finished, his father turned to his mother and said:

"This man´s behaviour doesn´t please me at all."

Then, one day, James and his friends began to talk about the problems they had at home, and they made laughing comments about what their parents said. Alex remained silent, staring at them, until George, who was very daring, asked him directly:

"Who do you get on with better, Alex? Who is the bossiest of your parents?"

After a short silence, the boys continued to talk and laugh, but James noticed that his friend had blushed and seemed annoyed. James added that he didn´t know who was the bossiest of his parents because they both behaved alike.

"What my father says is that men and women are equal."

Alex replied, looking him in the eyes:

"But that´s wrong. My father says that men have to wear the pants at home; otherwise, women will tramp upon them."

James didn´t reply. The truth was he didn´t know what Alex meant.

That night at dinner, he told his parents what had happened and asked them what Alex had meant. He thought the sentence was funny because men always wore pants, although women did it often too.

His father then said:

"Unfortunately, James, our society does not educate men as it should and makes us believe that we are superior to women simply because we were born men. That´s a lie. Besides, they deceive us by saying that we are stronger, smarter and better at everything than them. If a man shows affection for his wife, if he confides his troubles to her, asks for her advice and help, people say that he is weak, that he is less of man."

"But what does it mean ´to wear the pants´?"

"That" explained his mother "is a way of saying that men should boss women around to prove they are real men…"

"It is just silly, James" continued his father "because people are not defined by a part of their body, neither are they defined by their screaming, punching, hitting or swearing. Men who are real men do not hit. Only cowards do so... I suspect Alex´s father isn´t a good person. And if he isn´t a good person, he can´t be a good man."

The following day, his mother commented that Helen, Alex´s mother, seemed to have had an accident, because she had bruises all over and a black eye:

"It´s a pity that she doesn´t have any family here or anyone to help her."

James´s father said nothing and continued eating, although, occasionally, he shook his head disapprovingly.

One day, when James told Alex that he would like to see his room and his books, Alex stared at him and took long to answer. Finally, he told him he would ask his parents if he could invite him to his house. Three days later, a very happy Alex told James that his mother expected them both for tea and commented that his father was away.

Tea was great and James found Alex´s mother very friendly. Helen played games and riddles with them, and told stories with so much fun that the three laughed as good friends. Suddenly they heard a key in the lock. The smile on Alex´s mother face disappeared and her hands started to shake as if she were sick. She stood up immediately and started to pace the room as if she were out of her mind. Alex went to her side, took her hands and they both stood silent as his father entered the room.

…

(To be continued in the PDF attachment)

Beatriz Moncó

Los hombres no pegan

Barcelona, Bellaterra, 2005

(Translation and adaptation)

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The Three Brothers and the Pot of Gold

(Moldavia)

Once, a long time ago, there lived a farmer who had three sons. Now among farmers, having three sons should have been a blessing. These three, however, had little time for farm work. In fact, they had little use of any work at all. All three were strong, healthy, and despite their laziness, good young men. Their only vice, and such a vice it was on a farm, was that they hated work.

When they were young, they would sit under a tree and watch the leaves turn colors. When they grew older, they would watch the young women walk past their farm but were too lazy to ever go out and meet them. When they became young men, they talked endlessly about nothing, and sometimes, when the mood hit them just right, they might go fishing. But, if they caught too many fish, they might leave most behind for it was too much bother to carry them all home.

The neighbors would shake their heads as they watched them stretch out beneath the trees in the yard.

"Why do you not help your father around the farm?" they called.

"Father enjoys his work, and in his work, he provides for us. Why should we work and deny him that pleasure?" The brothers would laugh and eventually fall asleep.

The father tried his best to get them to work but all in vain. The years went on, and finally the old man wore himself out and lay on his deathbed.

"My sons, the end to my work is near. Soon I will leave you. I fear so much for your future."

For the first time, the three young men were roused out of their apathy. They exchanged worried looks. The oldest knelt by his father´s side and spoke. "Father, give us your counsel and your blessing. What are we to do?"

The father looked at his sons and slowly spoke. "My boys, when your mother and I were young, we saved our money very guardedly. We knew that hard times might come again and send the wolf to the door. We tried to put one gold coin every month into a small pot that we buried in the yard. As the years went by and you boys came into our lives, we couldn´t put any money away and quickly forgot about the pot of gold. I can´t remember where, but somewhere in the yard or perhaps in the field next to the house there is a pot of gold. I hope you find it and that it saves you all." With these words, the old man died.

The three sons wept for their father and in their grief kept his memory alive in their hearts for a long time. But soon they were hungry, and the little food and money that their father had in the house was soon gone.

"Our father spoke of a pot of gold," said the middle brother. "I say we start to dig around the house and try to find this gold and keep ourselves alive." The other two agreed.

…

(To be continued in the PDF attachment)

Dan Keding

Stories of Hope and Spirit

Little Rock, August House Publishers, 2004

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Sir/Madam,

We are a group of people with some experience in the area of storytelling and we would like to share our project – The Joy of Reading – with everyone who is in touch with children and young people in general but above all with everyone that enjoys reading.

This project consists of sending stories for free on a weekly basis. So this particular e-mail and the ones that will follow it in the next weeks are intended to share some small stories with you. All the stories we send have some values within: respect for nature, tolerance, tenderness, responsibility, solidarity and many more. They all aim at developing the reading skills among young people, as well as allowing some moments of reflection and dialogue about topics connected with human values, which seem to have been somewhat forgotten in these times of materialism and hedonism.

We thank you for your attention and hope you will welcome this project (which, it is important to say, does not have any profitable aims).

If you know anyone interested in receiving the weekly stories by email, let us know by sending their emails to us.

Please let us know your opinion about the project.

Yours faithfully

The Pedagogical Team

sg@storiesforeveryone.com

stories4ev@gmail.com