Fame ~

He had come to the big city from a little rural community, had worked hard and intelligently and climbed high up the business ladder with unusual speed. He was, in fact, rather well-known among the businessmen in the big town.

With the means and freedom now to indulge himself, he thought of his home-town and how nice it would be to return for a visit — a visit no doubt characterized by praise and adulation of the local boy who had made the big time.

When he stepped off the train there was no welcoming committee there to greet him. this was surprising, and a bit disconcerting. the few people on the station platform paid him no heed and went on their way.

As he picked up his bag and old freight handler came up, looked at him curiously and said, “Howdy Jim, you leaving town?”
–unknown

Buried Treasure ~

A farmer on his deathbed summoned his four sons and told them he was leaving his farm to them in four equal parts. “I have very little ready cash, but you will find that the greater part of my wealth is buried somewhere in the ground, about a foot and a half from the surface.
I have forgotten precisely where.” Then he died.

The fours sons set to work on the fields and dug up every inch of them, searching for the treasure the father had buried. They found nothing. But they decided that since they had dug up all the ground, they might as well plant a crop and reap a good harvest.

That autumn, after an abundant harvest, the four boys again began digging in search of the buried treasure; as a consequence their farm was turned over more thoroughly than any other farm in the area.

And of course, again they reaped a fine harvest. After they had repeated this procedure for several more years, the four sons finally realized what their father had meant when he told them his wealth was buried in the ground.
–Aesop

Tolerance ~

Legend has it that when Abraham sat at his tent door, according to his custom, waiting to entertain strangers, he saw and old man, stopping and leaning on his staff. He was weary with age and travail, being a hundred years of age. Abraham received him kindly, washed his feet, provided supper, and caused him to sit down.

Observing that the old man ate and prayed not, nor begged a blessing on his meat, Abraham asked why he did not worship the god of heaven.

The old man told him that he worshiped fire only, and acknowledged no other God. At this answer Abraham became so angry, that he threw the old man out of his tent, and exposed him to all the evils of the night in an unguarded condition.

When the old man was gone, God called out to Abraham, and asked him where the stranger was. “I thrust him away, because he did not worship you.” God was silent, then answered, “I have suffered him these hundred years, and you could not endure him for one night-when he gave you no trouble?”
–Jeremy Taylor