The Pomegranate, the Apple Tree and the Bramble
Long ago two lovely trees grew in a garden of cool streams. One was a sweet pomegranate tree with the reddest fruit. The other was a green apple tree with fragrant, juicy apples. The birds of the garden sang on their branches and had great fun. But each tree liked its own fruit more than the other's. On a hot summer day the two trees began a big argument.
The pomegranate tree shook its trunk proudly and showed its red fruit. "My fruits are jewels, the finest crown in this garden," it said. The apple tree heard these words and swayed at once in the wind. "People love my sweet apples more than anything," it answered. Both trees raised their voices and the quarrel grew louder. Their fight took all the peace of the garden away in a moment.
Just then a small bramble under the trees stepped forward. The thorny bramble lifted its head and called to the trees softly. "Dear friends, please stop this silly quarrel now," it said. At these words the trees felt ashamed and fell silent. They understood that every fruit has its own beauty. True beauty is not in beating others, but in living together in peace. A soft answer turns away anger.