This is one of the best aesop short stories to read for kids. Once, there was an argument between the parts of the body. In fact, hands, legs, feet, mouth, teeth and the tongue were ranged on one side against the stomach on the other side. The stomach had been singled out of criticism. The rest of the parts thought that while they all toiled, but the lazy stomach did nothing except stocking the food and enjoying it. It kept demanding for more and more food of the delicious kinds greedily. The only thing it appeared to do was burp shamelessly when satisfied. You may also like to read, Paying back in the same coin.
The hand said, “First of all, I work all day long. Never get any rest but the stomach does no work. It just rest there. Rest, rest and rest!” The legs protested, “The real woes are us. We have to do all the leg work and who carries the load of this glutton bag stomach? We do, oh brother! He eats and eats creating more load for us to burden with.” The tongue said, “Brother! I am no happier than you are. remember, I have to haul down all the food the stomach demands. He wants spicy and chilly dishes and I get burnt. Is there any justice?”
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The tongue said, “Brother! I am no happier than you are. remember, I have to haul down all the food the stomach demands. He wants spicy and chilly dishes and I get burnt. Is there any justice?” The stomach reasoned, “Look, friends, you are gravely mistaken that I don’t do anything. I do a lot of work silently behind the curtains.”
A leg spoke, “Silent work, my foot! I know the rumbling sounds you make when you are upset.” The other leg said, “Enough is enough. I will no more do any leg work for the stomach. He may arrange to carry himself on a stretcher.” Also read, Smelling Rat.
the leg put its foot down. the teeth announced, “we shall not chew food for the stomach. why should we go on grinding ourselves to feed the idler stomach? it gets the goodies and what do we eat? gum troubles and toothaches!! No more.” The mouth said, “I won’t anymore be serving as the gateway of food for the stomach. That’s it!”
The legs stopped walking. Hands did no work except twiddling their thumbs. The mouth did not chew food. The tongue only did talking and no food hauling. The body works came to a standstill. The stomach felt hunger and pain but there was little it could do. The other parts of the body would not cooperate. The result was probably disastrous.
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Entire body suffered from starvation. Crippling weakness affected all parts of the body. The legs lamented, “Oh god! We feel so drained of energy. We can’t carry our own load now. The thigh and calf muscles are gone.” The hand said, “We are no better, brothers. We can’t handle any work now. Our arms are so painful, how skinny we have become!”
The tongue moaned,” I am dying for all those lovely tastes I used to enjoy. Those heavenly sweet, sour, salty and spicy experiences! Now I feel so arched and mouth tastes bitter.” The teeth were also sad and said, “We are tired of idling. we need to chew and grind to stay healthy. Jaws also need exercising.” The mouth suggested, “There is a way out. We must forget about our strike and start working again. There lies a good of us all.” So, the strike ended. The stomach heaved a sigh of relief.
In a matter of few days, all the parts of the body regained health. They were all happy. “Listen, friends,” one day, stomach said and added, “Do you still believe that I do no work? I am an idler, Huh?” The mouth said, “We never see you doing any work. That confuses us.” The right leg spoke, “Stomach! What do you exactly do?”
The stomach explained, “The legs take us in search of food. The hands work to earn that food, besides cooking and hauling it to mouth. The teeth chew the food before letting the tongue roll it down the throat to me. I digest that food and pass on the nutrient elements to blood. The blood transports those elements back to you all to keep you healthy and alive.”
So, friends, it is cooperation. Therefore, the body is our cooperative society. Finally,the body parts got the message.
AESOP SHORT STORIES MORAL: COOPERATIVE UNITY IS THE STRENGTH.