The stories include:
1. A young girl who struggles to say 'please' and 'thank you', and learns to do so after befriending a fawn who is thirsty and helping a spring reappear.
2. A story about the gods deciding to create humans, and removing happiness from them, hiding it inside each person, so they would have to search within themselves to find it.
3. A grandfather writing in a notebook, shares with his grandson the qualities of a pencil that he wishes him to emulate: following one's spirit, enduring pain to become a better person, being able to correct mistakes, taking care of one's inner self, and being aware of the impact of one's actions.
4. A story about the island of feelings, where all the feelings and values of people live. When the island is sinking, all the feelings except love leave. Love is eventually rescued by time.
5. An old man is seen by his neighbor working hard to plant date palms, despite being 80 years old. The neighbor questions the old man's actions, and the old man explains that he is planting for the future, even though he may not be able to enjoy the fruits himself.
6. A story about two children, one optimistic and one pessimistic. The pessimistic child is unhappy with the gifts he receives, while the optimistic child is happy with a pile of manure and a stick, and finds joy in the possibility of a horse being nearby.
7. A lawyer is invited to a wedding in his hometown, and decides to walk there. On the way, he finds a basket of pears, but decides not to take them, only to regret it later when he is hungry and thirsty. He eventually returns to the pears and eats them, learning that the value of things can depend on how useful they are.
8. A Chinese peasant's horse runs away, but then returns with another horse. The peasant's son is initially upset, but the peasant teaches him that one should not judge things as good or bad until time has passed.
9. A teacher is insulted by a student, but remains calm and teaches the student that one can choose not to accept the emotions of anger and resentment that others offer.
10. An elephant loses the wedding ring he was supposed to give to his fiancée, and becomes frantic. An owl advises him to calm down and wait for the water to clear, and the elephant is eventually able to retrieve the ring.
1. A girl had a serious illness that made her unable to say "please" or "thank you".
2. The doctor examined the girl but found nothing wrong with her physically.
3. The girl's grandmother said that the girl had a problem in her heart.
4. The girl's family went to a countryside house to celebrate a party.
5. The girl was unable to participate in the party because she couldn't say "please" or "thank you".
6. The girl went to a forest and met a mouse who offered her blackberries if she said "please".
7. The girl refused to say "please" and left.
8. The girl then met a squirrel who offered her hazelnuts if she said "thank you".
9. The girl again refused to say "thank you" and left.
10. The girl met a fawn who was thirsty and needed water from a spring.
11. The girl asked the spring to give her water and said "please" for the first time.
12. The spring gave her water, and the girl was able to thank it.
13. The girl's illness was cured, and she was able to say "please" and "thank you" again.
14. The gods created humans in their image and likeness.
15. One of the gods suggested that they take away happiness from humans to differentiate them.
16. The gods decided to hide happiness inside each human.
17. A grandfather told his grandson that he was writing a story about him and the pencil he was using.
18. The grandfather said that the pencil had five qualities that would make his grandson a balanced person.
19. The qualities were: having a firm and generous spirit, being able to endure pain, having the ability to correct mistakes, taking care of what's inside, and being aware of the consequences of one's actions.
20. A poor but wise Chinese peasant worked hard with his son.
21. The peasant's horse ran away, but then it returned with another horse.
22. The peasant's son broke his leg, and the army officials passed by the village looking for young people to take away.
23. The peasant's son was not taken because of his broken leg.
24. The peasant taught his son not to judge things as good or bad fortune without giving time to see the consequences.
25. A lawyer was invited to a wedding celebration in his hometown.
26. On his way to the celebration, the lawyer found a basket of pears but kicked it away and continued his journey.
27. The lawyer came across a swollen stream and had to return home without eating anything.
28. The lawyer picked up the pears he had kicked away earlier and ate them.
29. The lawyer learned that the value of some things depends on how useful they are at a particular moment.
30. A teacher was approached by a student who was angry and defiant.
31. The teacher calmly asked the student if he would take something he didn't want if it was offered to him.
32. The teacher explained that the student was offering her anger and resentment, but she preferred to give herself the gift of serenity.
33. The teacher told the student that he had the freedom to choose what emotions or feelings he wanted to carry inside him.
34. A young elephant lost his fiancée's wedding ring in a river.
35. The elephant tried to find the ring by digging and stirring the water, but it only became cloudy.
36. An old owl advised the elephant to calm down and wait for the water to clear.
37. The elephant followed the owl's advice and found the ring on the river bed.
38. The elephant learned that patience and serenity are necessary when facing problems or making important decisions.