Interactive Stories
Exported from Holy-Writings.com on 2026-07-04 - 1 clipping

Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Romuald Boubou Moyo, Interactive Stories, bahai-library.com.
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INTERACTIVE STORIES
By Boubou Moyo

Based on the junior youth book Walking the Straight Path
of the BADI Foundation in Macau

Version 1                               Version 2
Development Learning Press              Email: earth1country@gmail.com
P.O. Box 211942
Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33421-1942
U.S.A.
Tel: 1-561-333-9299
Email: books@devlp.com
Web site : www.devlp.com
INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND VERSION

This second version of Walking the Straight Path-Interactive Stories, seeks to provide
additional materials to young people, usually between 13 and 15 years old, who will be
studying or have already studied the first version. In this version, youth will be able to
appreciate, as the main actors, the moral implications that arise from the choices they have to
make when reading the twenty stories of the book.

A story becomes interactive when the evolution of the narrative is dictated by the
reader's choices and is likely to change according to his or her will. In other words, each story
becomes a base for the youth to live his or her own adventure. By reading each story, the youth
will participate in a process of feedback and collaboration between the different branches
offered by the unfolding of the story and his or her own conscience.

Each story is made up of numbered paragraphs. At the end of a paragraph, the reader
usually has a choice between several possibilities representing the actions of the character he
or she is playing. These possibilities refer to other paragraph numbers that develop the
consequences of the reader's choices. Paragraphs are therefore not read in the order of the
numbers, and every reader will not read the same paragraphs, since they will not all make the
same choices. Each story can therefore generate several stories, even if in the majority of cases
there is only one happy ending. To allow all readers to discover this ideal ending, they are
systematically prompted to go back and start the story all over from the first paragraph when a
choice made led to a premature end of the story. This hindsight or backtracking will allow them
to better reconsider the choice in question. Some stories offer the possibility of playing the role
of several characters. The reader can therefore relive the story through another character.

As with the first version, the book is intended to be studied by youths in small groups
with the assistance of animators. However, it would be convenient that, first, each youth reads
the story individually with all the time necessary to make personal choices. Secondly, there is
sharing within the group. During these discussions, the animator will be able to analyze the
number of choices made by each youth to reach the happy ending of the story and the
motivations behind their choices. For example, for the first story of the book, there are six
choices to be made to reach the two happy endings (that of the crow and that of the fox) without
having to go back. If a youth makes more than six choices while reading this story, it will mean
that he or she made at least one choice that has been questioned. It would therefore be desirable
that for each story, each youth write down the numbers of the successive paragraphs he or she
has chosen in order to facilitate the process of analysis and sharing in the group. For this sharing
step to be successful, the animator can simply let the youth speak out on the reasons for their
choice in an atmosphere that gives rise to joy and thoughtful reflection.
CONTENTS

Stories                   Pages
I…………………………………………………………… 1
II……….………………………………………………….. 3
III………………………………………………………….. 5
IV………………………………………………………….. 7
V……………………………………………………………8
VI………………………………………………………… 10
VII………………………………………………………... 11
VIII………………………………………………………. 13
IX………………………………………………………… 15
X…………………………………………………………. 17
XI………………………………………………………… 19
XII……………………………………………………….. 22
XIII………………………………………………………. 24
XIV………………………………………………………. 26
XV……………………………………………………….. 28
XVI………………………………………………………. 33
XVII……………………………………………………… 36
XVIII…………………………………………………….. 37
XIX………………………………………………………. 39
XX……………………………………………………….. 41
I

1- A fox once saw a crow fly off with a piece of cheese in his beak.
o If you'll like playing the crow character, go to 4.
o If you'll like playing the fox character, go to 7.

2- So you lift your head with pride and set out to offer a song in
honor of your charming friend. Of course, the moment you open your beak, the
piece of cheese falls out. The fox snaps it up before it hits the ground and runs
away, while your not so pleasant voice fills the air. You only realise, at the end of
your song, that your cheese is missing and that you were fooled by the fox. Just
like that, you lost a meal for good. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start
over at 1.

3- You settle on the branch of a tree slowly to stop and take second breath. Then
a fox comes to you. "Good day, my dear friend," s aid the fox, putting on his best
behavior. "You look so beautiful today. Your feathers are glossy and your eyes
shine like jewels. Surely, you have an excellent voice as well. Oh! If only I could
hear you sing." What are you going to do?
o You know very well that of all the birds, the crow's song is not so pleasant.
This fox is mistaking you for another bird. You prefer not to pretend to be
what you are not and fly home, go to 9.
o You are pleasantly surprised by this beautiful speech. Indeed, despite the
gossip that crows don't have nice voice, you always thought that you had
nothing to envy the nightingales. You always knew you were nice-looking
and had a low voice. Finally, here is someone who recognizes your worth.
You agree to sing for the fox for his praise, go to 2.

4- You are the crow and you've been flying for hours now since you had the
chance to find this piece of cheese in a village. Your body is all numb from so
much effort, and you feel that soon your wings will let go. What are you going to
do?
o You find it safer to rest as you have been taught crows are not as resilient
as swallows in flight. You land on a branch, go to 3.
o You were taught from a young age that crows can not fly long distance
without resting. However, you will demonstrate to all that you can perform
exceptionally in flight. You keep flying despite you extreme fatigue, go
to 5.

5- Nevertheless, you keep flying, but soon, you are tired and you end up falling
to the ground, unconscious. When you wake up, your cheese is missing. You
come back to your nest sad and hungry. Sorry, but that's the end of the story,
start over at 1.

6- You go hunting in the forest. By chance, two partridges run past you. It's the
easiest game you have ever had to catch. You proudly go back to your den to
share your nice preys with your gang, which bow before you for of your hunting
performances. Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the fox
story. If you want to follow back the story as a crow, go to 1.

7- You are the fox and you are so much hungry. You have two choices:
o The easy way is to follow the crow, wait for him to settle on the branch to
flatter him and make him let go of his cheese for you to eat, go to 8.
o The hard way is to proceed as you have been taught to feed yourself, that
is to hunt game in the forest. You are not sure if you will find any and you
need to be patient, go to 6.

8- You follow the crow, who settle after some time on the branch of a tree. You
seize the occasion to execute your plan. Then, you put on your best behavior and
give him this speech: "Good day, my dear friend. You look so beautiful today.
Your feathers are glossy and your eyes shine like jewels. Surely, you have an
excellent voice as well. Oh! if only I could hear you sing."
These words flatter the crow. So, he lifts his head with pride and sets out to offer
a song in your honor. Of course, the moment he opens his beak, the piece of
cheese falls out. You quickly grab it before it even hits ground and run away
while the crow sings. But no sooner you found a quiet place to eat the cheese, a
lion, called by the hullabaloo caused by the crow's song, chases you.         He is
stronger and takes hold of the cheese. You have lost everything and you go
back to your den with empty stomach. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start
over at 1.

9- You reach safe and sound your nest and enjoy your delicious cheese there.
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the crow story. If you
want to follow back the story as a fox, go to 1.

II

1- This is the story of a man well known for his
wisdom. He wants to take his son to a beautiful
garden to pray and to meditate. You are his son. What
is your decision?
o That's good, you will spend some time with your
dad today. You agree to follow him to the place of prayer, go to 3.
o You have more important things to do and refuse to follow your father, go
to 4.

2- You close your eyes again, in your mind, you visualized a natural setting and
your focus is back. This time around, you succeed praying to the end of the
allocated time, go to 8.

3- Upon your arrival, you meet many others gathered there for the same
purpose. The fragrance of the flowers, the soft whispering of the breeze, and the
quiet murmur of a stream create a sense of peace. Your father sits down and
invites you to do the same. What is your decision?
o You don't see what you will gain by praying and refuse to sit down, go to
4.
o You think that in such a harmonious atmosphere, this moment of
spirituality can only make you feel good. You agree to sit down, go to 6.

4- In that case the story is over, start over at 1.

5- Both, you and your father go back home sad because your outing was not a
success. The story is over. Try to catch up by starting over at 1.

6- Your father and you sit down in the shade of a tree. Following your father's
example, you close your eyes and fill your mind with spiritual thoughts. But after
a minute, you feel tired and start losing your focus. What are you going to do?
o No way for you to be focus again despite all your efforts, so you open your
eyes, go to 9.
o You are too tired, and prefer getting up and going back home, go to 4.

7- This observation bothered you, so you keep thinking about it. And then, you
turn to your father and ask: "daddy, are we not better than those who are
sleeping instead of praying?" Your father remains silent for a while and then

replies: "we might have been, had you not asked that question. You could not
focus enough to pray and you opened your eyes. Moreover, you made me lose
my focus too. You notice the lack of focus of others, when you yourself have not
done better.", go to 5.

8- You and your father come back home after he congratulates you for your
humility. You had a good time together. Congratulations! You have reached the
happy ending of the story.

9- You begin to look around. First at the flowers and the birds, and then at the
people. To your great surprise, you see that more than half of the people are
asleep. What are your thoughts?
o "All these people have come here to pray. Some think they are devoted
and religious, but they are not praying. They are just pretending." go to 7.
o "There are some people who are sleeping instead of praying. However, I
will overlook that and do as I didn't see anything. I myself, I could not
focus for more than 60 seconds to pray. I'd better try harder to focus more
seriously and pray." go to 2.

III

1- It is the story of a King living in a sumptuous palace who
wanted to know the living conditions of his people.
o If you think he should only consult his councillors to
know the living conditions of his people, go to 2.
o If you think he should go out through the countryside to see by himself the
living conditions in his kingdom, go to 4.

2- The King's councillors told him that all was well in the best of all possible
worlds. That's the end of the story, start over at 1.

3- "What is your haste then? Surely you will not live to eat the fruits of the trees
you are so diligently planting", observed the king. What do you reply?
o "You are correct, My King". "However, my forefathers planted trees whose
fruits I have enjoyed all my life. It is now my duty to plant for the benefit
of the next generation." go to 6.
o "You are correct, My King". " If I am doing this, it is not for the fruits but to
be praised in the village for my hard work" , go to 8.

4- So, the king went riding through the countryside with his guards. Passing by a
field, he noticed a very old man. Although weak and obviously in great pain, he
was working hard planting date trees. The king stopped his horse and asked: "old
man, what are you doing? Surely at your age you should be resting at home
enjoying the loving attention of your children." You are the old man. What do you
reply?
o "O Great King" "you are correct. I am so much tired and without a delay I
am going back home to rest and enjoy my children", go to 8.
o "O Great King", "I can not rest yet. I must finish planting these trees." , go
to 7.
o "O Great King" "you are correct. Soon there will be sunset and I would
better go home.", go to 8.

5- Unfortunately, on your way back, thieves attack you and steal your gold coin.
Sorry, but that's the end of the story. Start over at 1.

6- The king is so please by this answer that he gives you a gold coin. How do you
react?

o "I thank you Great King. Now with this gold, I will redo the roof of my
house", go to 5.
o "I thank you Great King, but only one coin is not enough for the multiple
trees I planted." , go to 8.
o "I thank you Great King", you say smiling, " just planting the trees was
reward enough for me as the next generation will enjoy their fruits after
me", go to 9.

7- "How long will it be before these trees produce fruit for your pleasure?"
Inquired the king. What do you reply?
o I know nothing about trees. I only work to exercise and stay healthy, go to
8.
o «It is a type of trees that will not see fruit for at least twenty years!", go to
3.

8- This answer ends the story. Start over at 1.

9- The king still insists on giving you the gold coin and you feel obliged to accept
it. He even escorts you home with his guards so you don't have your gold stolen.
Eventually, the newly planted trees have already borne fruit as the gold coin is
worth more than what the first harvest would bring. Congratulations! You have
reached the happy ending of the story.

IV

1- This is the story of a young dog.
o If you will like to play the little dog? go to 6.
o If you don't like the role, go to 4.

2- At the moment you open your mouth, your own bone falls
into the water and disappears. All you could see, then, is the
other dog staring back at you with a sad look on his face. This
face is yours, a disappointed dog, who had lost a delicious meal because he was
too greedy. Sorry, but the story is over, start over at 1.

3- That's how you quickly grab the bone and head home to eat it quietly without
being attacked by other dogs lurking around. You already imagine yourself eating
it. On the way, you have to cross a small river than runs through the village. As
you step on the plank used for crossing, your eyes fall on a delightful sight.
There, in the calm waters of the river was another dog, just like you, with a
delicious looking bone in his mouth. What do you decide?
o "This is really my lucky day. Surely, I can take away that bone from this
silly dog. By the time he gets out of the water, I will be far away." go to 2.
o "Hey, another dog was just as lucky as me. I will invite him to follow me so
that he can also eat his bone in a quiet place where he will not be
bothered", go to 5.

4- In that case the story is over. Start over at 1.

5- You put your bone on the plank and bark to invite the other dog to follow you.
Then you pick your bone up and head home. Upon arrival, you realise that the
other dog did not follow you. You are surprised, but finally you can enjoy your
bone in peace. Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story.

6- So, you play the little dog and one day, you find a nice juicy bone lying in the
trash. What do you do?
o A bone is not enough for you and you would have preferred a big piece of
meat. You go on your way, go to 4.
o How lucky yo are to come across a bone in this time of famine. You grab
the bone in your mouth, go to 3.

V

1- All of Rabbit's friends knew that he was the fastest among them.
More than anyone else, Rabbit knew it, and he never tired of telling
his friends. Oh, how they wished Rabbit would stop bragging about
his running skills. But no one knew what to do about it. Then one
day, someone suggested something impossible: winning Rabbit in
a long-distance race. You are Turtle, one of Rabbit's friends. What do your
decide?
o You know very well yourself that you have no chance, but you suggest
Duck to start, go to 4.
o You know that you are very slow at the race but you are armed with
courage and you accept the challenge of winning Rabbit, go to 7.
o No one will ever be able to win Rabbit at a race. You advise others to stop
dreaming, go to 8.

2- At the next tree, your fatigue is even greater and you still think about
stopping. What do you decide?
o Broken with fatigue, you get discouraged and you give up, go to 5.
o You think you shouldn't stop until you've at least made it to that next
stone, go to 9.

3- And so time passes. You, Turtle, you plod along little by little meanwhile
Rabbit still sleeping and the other animals are waiting. Finally, they see you
coming. And while Rabbit is dreaming of success, you cross the finish line,
breathing heavily and exhausted, but with victory in hand. Congratulations! You
have reached the happy ending of the story.

4- Duck thinks he has no chance to win the race and don't want to be humiliated.
He declines the challenge. The story is over, start over at 1.

5- Rabbit ends up winning the race because you give up. The story is over, start
over at 1.

6- The other animals go waiting to the finish line. Meanwhile, Rabbit is having a
merry time. He runs, hops and skips. He feels like singing. "Why should I strain
myself?", he though. "Turtle can not by any way win." Feeling slightly fatigued
after all his hopping and skipping, he lies down behind a tree to rest. Soon, he is
in a deep sleep. You, you are still plodding along slowly. At some point, you feel
tired and think about stopping. What do you decide?
o You think you can make it at least to that next tree, go to 2.
o You are exhausted, you get discouraged and give up, go to 5.

7- At the appointed hour, all the animals gather to watch. The signal is given and
the race begins. There is a loud "whoooosh", and Rabbit is out of your sight.
What do you decide?
o You are ashamed and regret having taken such a crazy challenge. You
choose to give up, go to 5.
o Rabbit's taking over is amazing but not impressed, you choose to calmly
move forward, take the first step, then another, ... and another ... and
another, go to 6.

8- In that case the story is over, start over at 1.

9- At the next stone, your fatigue is at its peak and you seriously think about
stopping. What do you decide?
o You think you will not stop before you get to the top of that hill at distance,
go to 3.
o You can't take it any more, you get discouraged and give up, go to 5.

VI

1- This is the story of two frogs walking along, hopping happily.
You are one of the frogs. Unfortunately, after one of your hops,
instead of reaching the ground, you fall into a deep bowl of cream.
You panic because it's only a matter of time before you sink to the
bottom of the bowl. Your friend is a type who cries blue ruin. " We
are going to drown", he laments, and with a despairing cry, he
flings up his little legs and said: "Goodbye!" And you, what do you do?
o You give in and and like your friend, you sink into the cream, go to 2.
o You don't know how to get out, but you won't give in. You resolve to keep
swimming around until your strength is spent, then, if you must, you'll die
content, go to 4.

2- In that case, that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

3- You keep persevering and swim with all your remaining strength. The more
you swim around with strength, the more cream turns into butter. At a point, all
the cream in the bowl turns into butter. Now you can use the butter you just got
as support to gaily hop over the bowl and gets out. You are saved.
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story.

4- Bravely, you swim around to work your scheme. After a while, with your
struggles, the cream is well churned but then, it's more and more hard to move
your legs and you feel your strength spent. What do you do?
o You try hard to put in much more effort to swim up to your last breath, go
to 3.
o You give in and sink into the cream, go to 2.

VII

1- There once was a just and powerful king who had won the
loyalty of all his people, high and low. His court was filled with
the mos accomplished individuals in the kingdom. Yet his
favorite was a servant who had attended him selflessly for
many years
o If you'll like playing the selfless servant, go to 6.
o If you think this character is not good enough for you and you prefer
playing the King or an accomplished man, go to 4.

2- You eat piece of melon with such joy that the king offers you another piece.
What is your reaction?
o This time, its enough. A portion is fine, but two you can't stand it. You are
so angry that you immediately spit out piece of melon on the ground,
complaining out loud that it's the most bitter melon you've ever eaten, go
to7.
o You ignore the bitterness of the melon and again, still eat another piece
with joy, go to 8.

3- The king is so much happy with your answer. Once again it proves that your
sincerity could not be questioned Congratulations! You have reached the happy
ending of the story.

4- In that case, that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

5- The king is offended with your behaviour. He could not imagine that you, his
favorite servant, were his friend only out of interest. From that day on, you lose
your special relationship with the King and become the laughing stock of the
court, which rejoices at your fall. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over
at 1.

6- You play the character of the servant and the other members of the court are
envious of you despite your humility, and take every opportunity to convince the
king that you are not sincere in your devotion. But the king thinks he knows you
too well to ever doubt you. And you, what do you think?
o The king is wrong. You are devoted only because he is the boss right now.
You would not hesitate if you could take his place, go to 4.

o The King is right to trust you. You have boundless admiration for him for
he is a good sovereign who acts justly and equitably towards his people,
go to 9.

7- The king is offended with your behaviour. You, his favorite servant, dare to
ridicule him in public when he had just showed you a mark of affection by
offering you this melon with his own hands and in priority over the other
members of the court. From that day on, you lose your special friendship with
the King and become the laughing stock of the court, which rejoices at your
downfall. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

8- The king therefore keeps giving you pieces until almost the whole melon is
near to finish. Seeing the pleasure with which you have eaten the melon, the
king decides in his turn to taste it. He opens his eyes wide in surprise as he finds
it bitter and disagreeable. "Why, this is very bitter! How could you eat it with
such joy?" He asks. What would be your answer?
o "My Lord, you have brought so much sweetness to your kingdom with your
justice and compassion, that I thought one bitter melon was not worth
mentioning", go to 3.
o "My King, I was hoping you would reward me for eating such a bitter
melon, and if you don’t, I'll be disappointed", go to 5.

9- One day, the king is enjoying a great feast. He calls you to his presence and
offers you a delicious looking piece of melon. Only when you take the first bite,
you realize that it is the most bitter melon you have ever tasted. What do you
do?
o You decide to eat the melon, ignoring the bitterness in your mouth, and
instead you say out loud that the melon is succulent: "your Majesty, this
is the most delicious melon I have ever eaten, thank you very much", go to
2.
o You are so disgusted that you immediately spit out piece of melon on the
ground, complaining out loud that it's the most bitter melon you've ever
eaten, go to 7.

VIII

1- In a community that enjoyed warmth and unity, one
discouraged individual was living away from the others.
One day, the Local Council asked a friend of the
community to help this discouraged person overcome his
feelings of estrangement. You are the friend who is asked
to do this. What would be your answer?
o You have never been very close to this discouraged
person and don't like the idea of meeting him, go to
5.
o You are happy to be asked to do this task. 2. Although you don't know this
discouraged person well, this is an opportunity for you to make a new
friend, go to 2.

2- Very soon, you invite the man to your house for dinner and show him
hospitality and friendship. It is a chilly night and at the end of dinner you wonder
what to do.
o You quickly think about what more you could do to strengthen your bonds
on this chilly night, go to 6.
o You think that is enough for a first meeting. You are not sure if you had
nice moments together but you want to go home, go to 5.

3- All evening, you and your guess say no word about the whole matter. But at
the doorstep, the guest turns around and says: "Thank you so much for the fiery
lesson." At the next community gathering, everyone is very happy to see your
guest who is back. It is a friend who had been sorely missed.
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story.

4- All evening, you talk about what you did with the piece of wood and spend
time sermonizing your guest on the danger of keeping away from the other
members of the community. When leaving your house at the end of the evening,
your guest leaves without saying a word. Thereafter, he will not show up at any
community gathering, to the great sadness of the friends. Sorry, but that's the
end of the story, start over at 1.

5- In that case, that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

6- After a few minutes, you suddenly have an idea. You pick up a burning piece
of wood with a pair of tongs and move it to a corner of the fireplace. You sit back
in silence, while your guest kept watching. The piece of wood loses its fire and
gradually goes out. But before the evening is over, you move back the piece of
wood to the middle of the fire where it starts glowing once again. At this point,
you wonder if you should talk about what you have just done with the piece of
wood.
o Of course, you do. You wanted to teach the guest a lesson on the need to
unite with others and you want to be sure he understood it very well, go to
4.
o No, you don't. You let your actions speak for you. He is enough mature to
understand what you meant by your actions, go to 3.

IX

1- This is the story of Androcles, a slave who lived with his cruel
master. You are Androcles and you can no longer stand the
tyrannical treatment of your master. You think of running away
to free yourself. What do you decide?
o You will do nothing. You would rather continue to suffer
your master's abuse than risk death if you get caught
while running away, go to 4.
o Your captivity is too inhuman. You would rather be brave and try to regain
your dignity by fleeing, go to 7.

2- Unfortunately, you are not strong enough to defeat the lion who totally
crushes you with a bite. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

3- Back at the place where you met the lion, you find it lying on the ground with
a swollen and bloody paw in which you can see a large thorn. You understand
that it was not an external intervention but the lion's wound that saved you.
What do you do?
o This is a great opportunity to get rid of that silly lion who scared you. You
take out your sword and cut off its head, go to 5.
o The suffering of such a noble beast touches your heart. You overcome your
fear and decide to show him kindness and heal his wound, go to 9.

4- You spent the rest of your life as a slave and that's the end of the story, start
over at 1.

5- So you continue your escape. Unfortunately, you are captured by the
emperor's soldiers who throw you in prison. As an escaped slave, you are
sentenced to fight, unarmed, a hungry lion in a pit. Sorry, but that's the end of
the story, start over at 1.

6- You start running to run from the ferocious beast. After only a few distance,
you notice that the lion is not following you as you feared. You are puzzled by
this situation. What do you do?
o You are really surprised. In fact, the lion should have caught up with you a
long time ago if it had been chasing you. You wonder if someone
intervened to save you by stopping the lion. So, you stop and go back to
thank your savior, go to 3.

o You think that finally you were faster than the lion at the race and, tired of
chasing you in vain, he had to stop far behind. You continue your escape,
go to 8.

7- One day, you manage to escape from your cruel master. Moving quietly
through the forest, you suddenly come upon a lion. Fear seizes you. What do you
do?
o Lions are ferocious and powerful beasts. You think it's wise to run away
and try to get away from its claws as quickly as possible, go to 6.
o You think that if you have managed to escape your cruel master without
difficulty, a lion cannot defeat you in battle, go to 2.

8- So you continue your escape. Unfortunately, you are captured by the
emperor's soldiers who throw you in prison. Sorry, but that's the end of the story,
start over at 1.

9- You approach the lion and gently pull out the thorn. Then, you tear off a strip
of fabric from your own clothes and make a bandage to bind the wound. In this
way, you and the lion become friends. Unfortunately, you are later captured by
the emperor's soldiers. As an escaped slave, you are sentenced to fight a
hungry lion in front of the emperor and a large crowd. This usually means death.
On the day of the fight, a lion is released into the arena. Growling fiercely, it
leaps towards you. Then suddenly it stops. It approaches slowly, licks your hand
and receives a hug in return. It is your friend, the lion you have cared for. The
crowd captivated calls the emperor for your freedom. The emperor summoned
you to his presence. When he hears the story of your unusual friendship, he
grants you freedom and releases the lion into the forest. Congratulations! You
have reached the happy ending of the story.

X

1- High on a magnificent mountain, there was an eagle's nest
containing eggs. One day, a strong wind shook the nest, and an
egg fell down. It rolled down the mountainside, coming to rest on a
farm. The resident chickens felt they should care for such a gift
from heaven. So, they asked an old hen to sit on it for a while. You
are the hen. What do you decide?
o You refuse. You have already brooded too many eggs during the week and
you are tired. You'd rather take a vacation, go to 8.
o You accept with pleasure. Despite the fact that you're tired because you've
already brooded a lot of eggs this week, you're happy to help the egg
hatch, so go to 7.

2- One day, an eagle flies over the farm and calls out to you: "why are you down
there my friend? You should be here flying with us eagles." What do you reply?
o "Do you really mean it? Then tell me how to do it. I am ready to learn to
make my dream come true" , go to 4.
o "I am a chicken, I can't fly. No matter what I do, it's impossible. Go away
and let me peck my seeds in peace , go to 5.

3- You end your days as a chicken without ever realizing the potential you were
born with: to fly like an eagle, start over at 1.

4- The eagle then tells you: "Of course you can fly". You are an eagle like me.
Look at your wings. Are those the wings of a chicken? Look at me and do as I
am." And so, with some hesitation, you spread your mighty wings for the first
time. And to your surprise, very fast you are soaring in the                skies.
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story.

5- You chase away the eagle who leaves, disappointed. And so, you end your
days as a chicken without ever realizing the potential you were born with, to fly
like an eagle, start over at 1.

6- So you grow up and was raised to be a chicken. A rather unusual chicken, but
a chicken nonetheless. On one bright sunny morning, you look up and see eagles
in the sky. You think from the bottom of your heart: "oh! How I wish I could fly
like those birds!" You share your thoughts with your fellow chicken but they
make fun of you and cackle: " A chicken who wants to fly is unheard of" What do
you decide?

o No matter what the other chickens say, your dream is to fly in the sky like
a bird and you will make every effort to do so one day, go to 2.
o Your fellow chickens are absolutely right A chicken has never flown in the
sky. It's silly of you to have such a dream. It's wiser to forget about it so
you don't make a fool of yourself again, go to 3.

7- This is not the most comfortable thing you have ever done, but your care and
the heat from your body work. The egg finally hatched and a beautiful bird is
born.
o If you'll like to change character and play the young bird, go to 6.
o If you are afraid to change character, go to 9.

8- In that case the story is over, start over at 1.

9- The hen was getting old and she died shortly after having brooded the eagle.
That's the end of the story, start over at 1.

XI

1- Long ago in China there was a young woman who married
a wealthy man's son. She was gentle and kind and brought
happiness to their home. With time, she and her husband
were blessed with a son. But their joy was not to last. Soon
the boy was taken ill and died. You are the young woman and
you are overcome with grief. What do you decide to do?
o The The loss of your child leaves a void you will never
fill. You decide to let yourself die of grief, go to 7.
o The loss of your child is insurmountable and you decide
to do everything to find a way to bring your child back to life, even if it
means leaving your own, go to 5.

2- You lock yourself in a mansion house and stay alone. But the grief grows
stronger and you eventually die. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over
at 1.

3- So you go off in search of magical mustard seed. Knocking on the door of a
beautiful mansion, you think that surely you have come to the right place. " Here
is some mustard seed", the people inside say. "Take it. It's yours ." But when you
ask them if their home had ever known sorrow, they tell you, "please don't remind
us of our sadness." As you hear them recounting the story of the terrible things
that had recently happen to them, you are moved to tears. What do you decide
to do?
o You ask yourself: " should I not I, who have also known sorrow, stay and
comfort these people?" You help them and remain with them for a while
and then begin your search again, go to 9.
o Their grief has revived yours and you prefer to give up your quest and
retire from the world, go to 8.

4- You continued your search journey but nowhere, not in the cities or in the
towns, on the mountain or on the plain, could you find a place that had not been
touched by grief. And since you were always ready in helping others overcome
their grief, wherever you went, you became so busy to the task. In the ends, you
forgot about your search for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that you
had actually found the cure for sorrow. Congratulations! You have reached the
happy ending of the story.

5- Confused with your grief, you go door to door asking your neighbors " Is there
no medicine, no magic, that will bring my son back to life?" All your neighbors
see that you have lost your senses. Some look at you as mad woman and advise
you to retire away from the world until your grief fade and your senses come
back soon or later. Others sent you to a man known for his wisdom. What do you
decide to do?
o You wonder what the wise man can say and rush to see him, go to 11.
o You think that seclusion is the best option. Being alone, you will help you
get back to life, go to 2.

6- You lock yourself in a mansion house and stay alone. But the grief grows
stronger and you eventually die. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over
at 1.

7- You spent days and night not feeding yourself until you die, start over at 1.

8- You lock yourself in a mansion house and stay alone. But the grief grows
stronger and you eventually die. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over
at 1.

9- So you are still in search of magical mustard seed. Knocking on the door of a
beautiful mansion belonging to a famous artist, you think that this time around
you have come to the right place. " Here is some mustard seed" , the people
inside say. "Take it. It's yours ." But when you ask them if their family had ever
known sorrow, they tell you,"please don't remind us of our sadness." As you hear
them recounting the story of the terrible things that had recently happen to
them, you are moved to tears. What do you decide to do this time around?
o This is too much. All this accumulated grief has revived yours and you
prefer to give up your quest and retire from the world, go to 6.
o You think you should stay and comfort these people who just like you have
known sorrow. You help them and remain with them for a while and then
begin your search again, go to 4.

10- You lock yourself in a mansion house and stay alone. But the grief grows
stronger and you eventually die. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over
at 1.

11- Meeting with the wise man, you ask him: " do you have some medicine that
will bring my son back to me?" He answers " I will need a handful of mustard
seed." Elated, you promise to bring it immediately. But then, the wise man says,
" The seeds must be taken from a house that has never known sorrow. I will use
them to cure your grief." What do you decide to do?

o You will do anything to find your son, and so you start looking for what he
asks for, go to 3.
o You think that this man is not wise. How could he ask you something
impossible to bring your son back? You prefer following the other advice
from your neighbors and go far away to live in isolation, go to 10.

XII

This is the story of a hunter who picked up his gear and went in
search of prey. You are the hunter. While you are laying your
traps, a beautiful bird catches your eye. What do you decide to do?
o You are out hunting and even though a bird is a small game, it would be
good to start there as a warm-up before hunting larger animals. You
decide to hunt the bird, go to 5.
o Even though the bird is so beautiful, it seems hard to catch. You prefer
looking for animals that are easy to trap, go to 6.

2- You continue running to capture the bird until you are exhausted, even
forgetting that at the start you were only hunting for food. At a point, you bump
into a rock you fail to notice and fall Then you become angry, which makes you
careless. Your reckless movements attract the attention of a hungry wolf who
starts chasing you. You are so focused on the bird that at first you do not notice
the wolf. When the wolf is about to leap on you as his prey, you realize the
danger and run to a tree climbing as fast as you can. As you sit on a branch
looking in fear at the wolf below, you realize that because of your obsession, you
the hunter have become the prey. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start
over at 1.

3- You persevere in your hunt but it is as if the bird seems to read your mind. At
one point, you are about again to capture it but at the last minute, it flies to the
next tree and sits on a branch waiting, as if it were teasing you. What do you
decide to do?
o You think that you have done everything possible to catch this bird and
that continuing the hunt would be excessive. You prefer looking for
another game that is more consistent, even if it won't have much value on
the market, go to 4.
o You are ever determined to catch that bird that dares to challenge and
make fun of you, even if you have to spend days hunting, go to 2.

4- You let go of the bird and go back. Along the way, you come across a big
warthog caught in a trap that you had previously placed in this area. You
proudly return home with a good game to feed the whole family.
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story.

5- The bird is so beautiful that it could be sold for a god price in the market. You
begin to follow it. But it is not easy to catch. At a point, you are near it and when
you think of catching it, it flies to the next tree. What do you decide to do?
o This bird is not easy to capture. You prefer to abandon and look for
animals that are easier to trap, go to 7.
o You decide to continue the hunt thinking that you will eventually catch it,
go to 3.

6- You let go of the bird but could not find any other game. You come back
home empty-handed. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

7- You let the beautiful bird go but could no longer find any other game. You
come back home empty-handed. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over
at 1.

XIII

1- A king sent for his minister one day and said to him: " There is a
special ring I would like to wear at the great festival in six months'
time. It has magic powers. If you are happy and look at it, you
become sad, and if you are sad and look at it, you become happy. I
want you to find it and bring it to me."
o If you'll like the king to be sad, go to 5.
o If you'll like the king to be happy, go to 8 .

2- When he examined the ring and read the words, the king became sad. Then
he thought for a while, read the words again, and his sadness vanished. He
laughed loudly and praised the minister fora job well done. And what do you
think     were       the      words       that     had      such     magic?

o "This shall never pass", go to 7.
o "This, too, shall pass", go to 6.

3- Sorry but the King was happy when he received the magic ring, which could
only make him sad, go to 2.

4- To the minister's surprise, the merchant pulled out a single ring with a few
words engraved on it. "Is it that you are looking for?" he asked eagerly. The
minister strained his eyes, read the words, and immediately realized that he had
found the object of his search. He paid a merchant a handsome sum for the ring
and returned to the place in high spirits. The festival was about to begin. The
king was in a joyous mood. The minister brought him the magic ring, which he
examined. What do you think happened after the king read the words on the
ring?
o He became sad, go to 2.
o He became happy, go to 3.

5- " I advise you to abandon such a crazy idea, Your Majesty. Such a ring does
not exist", replied the minister. The king was very disappointed with this answer.
That's the end of the story. If you'll like to see the king happy, go to 8 .

6- Congratulations! You have discovered the secret of the magic ring.

7- Sorry but that was the other answer, go back to 2.

8- " I shall do my best Your Majesty", replied the minister. This made the king
happy. The minister set out in search of the ring. Days passed, then weeks and
months, and still he had not found it. He was about to give up when, on the
morning of the festival, he came across a humble merchant selling a few trinkets
spread out on an old mat in the street. "Have you by any chance heard of a
magic ring that makes the happy sad and the sad happy?" . He asked to the
merchant.
o If you'll like the minister to be sad, go to 9.
o If you'll like the minister to be happy, go to 4.

9-" What are you talking about Mr. minister. Such a ring does not exist and I
have never heard about it", replied the merchant. The minister returned sadly to
the palace to tell the king he had not found the ring he was looking for. That's
the end of the story. If you'll like to see the minister happy, go to 4.

XIV

1- It is said that when the famous library of Alexandria burned,
all the books were lost but one. Apparently of no value, the
book fell into the hands of a poor man, who could read it only
with difficulty. You are that man. At first glance, you do not find
the book very interesting. What do you decide to do?
o It would be much wok for you trying reading the contents of this book
because of your low school background. You'll rather throw the book away
, go to 6.
o You think that despite your lack of education, such a book is an
opportunity because you never know what you might learn from it. You
choose to examine the book carefully, go to 7.

2- In that case the story is over, start over at 1.

3- You throw the hollow pebble mechanically and continue doing as usual.
Months have passed, when one morning you start your daily routine as usual.
The first pebble is cold and you throw it into the sea. The next one is cold and
you throw it into the sea. As is the next, and the next and the next. Then you
pick up a pebble and it is warm. You throw it into the sea immediately. By the
time you realize what you have done, it is too late. Following mindlessly the habit
you have formed; you miss your chance to possess countless wealth. Sorry, but
that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

4- You carefully examine the pebble but unfortunately this is not the Touchstone.
So, you throw it into the see and continue your routine. Months have passed,
when one morning you start your daily routine as usual. The first pebble is cold
and you throw it into the sea. The next one is cold and you throw it into the sea.
As is the next, and the next and the next. Then you pick up a pebble and it is
warm. Having kept the reflex acquired previously with the hollow pebble, you
stop for a moment to examine this pebble which is different to the touch. And
that's how you discovered the Touchstone, the greatest secret of history and the
key to boundless happiness. Congratulations! You have reached the happy
ending of the story.

5- You leave your home with a supply of food and travel to the seashore, where
you begin your search. You decide to pick the pebbles up one by one and, if
they are cold, throw them into the sea. In this way, you are sure to come to the
Touchstone sooner or later. So, by following methodically this routine you go
forward to your quest for hours, then days, and then weeks. Then one morning
you start your daily routine as usual. The first pebble is cold and you throw it into
the sea. The next one is cold and you throw it into the sea. As is the next, and
the next and the next. At a point you pick a pebble up that is cold but you feel in
your hand that it has hollows. What do you do?
o You choose not to look at it because you don't want to deviate from your
routine and take a risk of delaying time as there are many other pebbles to
examine, go to 3.
o You prefer to stop for a moment to examine the pebble which is cold but
different from the others. It is a waste of time but you never can tell, go to
4.

6- In that case the story is over, start over at 1.

7- You go through the book and come across a parchment stuck between two
pages. On the parchment, is drawn a map on which is marked a spot near the
sea. Under the map is written the secret of the "Touchstone!" It explains that the
Touchstone, which supposedly could turn copper into gold, is a small pebble
hidden somewhere on the seashore among thousands of other pebbles. And
what was the secret to finding it? Unlike the other pebbles that are all cold, this
special one felt warm to the touch. This book turns out to be an invitation to
travel. What do you decide to do?
o This book is a chance for you. You will finally be able to improve your
condition and that of all your loved ones if you find the Touchstone.
Delighted, you decide to go on its quest, go to 5.
o You have never travelled as far as the sea, which is several weeks away
from your home. Moreover, you don't want to take the risk of changing
your daily life, go to 2.

XV

1- In a far away land, lived a queen in a kingdom. She was much
loved by her people and renowned for her virtue. But the queen
was getting old and she had no children.
o If you think the Queen deserves to have an heir, go to 6.
o If you don't think she deserves an heir, go to 16.

2- After a test, the queen chooses the strongest youth in the kingdom as her
heir. Upon the Queen's death, the new king reigned as a tyrant. The people rose
up, a war broke out and a bellicose neighboring king took advantage of it to
invade the kingdom. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

3- Following the counsel of six notables, the Queen ordered a packet of flower
seeds. She then sent messengers to every town and village inviting all youth
nearing the age of fifteen to come to the palace on a fixed date. You are one of
these youths and you have just received the Queen's invitation. What do you
decide?
o You consider that the palace, which is three days away, is too far from
your home and you don't want to
be attacked on the way as no one will accompany you. In this case go to
10.
o You are brave enough and decide to go to the palace despite the long days
of travel and the fatigue that this implies, not to mention the risk of being
mugged on a road that you take alone. In this case go to 9.

4- After a test, the queen chooses the smartest youth in the kingdom as her heir.
Upon the Queen's death, the new king reigned as a tyrant. The people rose up, a
war broke out and a bellicose neighboring king took advantage of it to invade the
kingdom. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

5- The queen seek advice from the nine notables of her court. Six notables
suggested a test to find the most honest youth in the kingdom Another notable
suggested a test to find the strongest youth in the kingdom. Another notable
suggested a test to find the smartest youth in the kingdom. Yet another notable
suggested a test to find the most handsome youth in the kingdom.
o If you think that a test should be done to choose the strongest youth in the
kingdom as heir, go to 2.
o If you think that a test should be done to choose the smartest youth in the
kingdom as heir, go to 4.

o If you think that a test should be done to choose the most honest youth in
the kingdom as heir, go to 3.
o If you think that a test should be done to choose the most handsome
youth in the kingdom as heir, go to 7.

6- Worried about the future of her kingdom, the queen was looking for a way to
choose an heir.
o If you think the queen can find an heir on her own without asking for
advice, go to 8.
o If you think the queen should seek advice on how best to choose an heir,
go to 5.

7- After a test, the queen chooses the most handsome youth in the kingdom as
her heir. Upon the Queen's death, the new king reigned as a tyrant. The people
rose up, a war broke out and a bellicose neighboring king took advantage of it to
invade the kingdom. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

8- Despite all her efforts, the Queen never found out how to choose an heir, go
to 16.

9- You are on your way and few hours later you arrive at the entrance of a forest
you should pass by. There you hear emergency calls coming from inside the
forest What do you do?
o You are clever and, to avoid the danger that awaits you, you decide to go
around the forest by taking another road towards the palace, go to 14.
o You think it might be someone in trouble who needs help. You decide to go
verify what happens, go to 13.
o You get scared. Ultimately, this trip is too unsafe. You would rather go
home to be safe, go to 10.

10- Just like you, only few youths went to the palace on the appointed day and
the queen was so frustrated. She died without having designated an heir. A
power battle broke out between her generals and, taking advantage of the
internal chaos, a bellicose neighboring king invaded the kingdom. Sorry, but
that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

11- The Queen died a few years later and you succeeded her. Your reign was so
full of integrity that your kingdom was the most prosperous and peaceful of its
time. Congratulations! Your honesty and courage allowed you to live the happy
end of the story.

12- You kept watering your seeds until the eighteenth day, but in spite of all your
good will, they still did not germinate. "D-Day" is tomorrow and you haven't
even got a flower germ yet. You think "people will laugh at me if I have no
flowers to present." What do you do?
o You decide to pay a visit to your best friend who lives near you and is also
taking the test, to see if he has any advice for you, go to 15.
o You get discouraged and give up, go to 10.

13- You bravely enter the forest and after a few meters you come across a pit in
which a girl of your age has fallen. You look around to find a rope that you throw
to help her get out of the hole. After getting her out, she tells you that she too is
on her way to the palace as the Queen requested. Then arrives a hunter. He
explains to you that he is using this hole as a trap to catch preys and he is really
sorry. He then gives you provisions for the road and helps you pass through the
forest by the safest way. Finally, your journey goes smoothly and you arrive safe
and sound at the palace on the appointed day, go to 18.

14- The detour you took has extended your route and instead of the 3 days
planned to reach at the Queen's palace, you took 5 days of travel. Upon your
arrival, the palace guards refuse to let you in because the day planned for the
meeting with the youths has passed. You have lost your chance to take the test
and have no other option but to go home, go to 10.

15- You reach at your friend's house and tell him about your frustration to be not
able to grow your flowers. He tells you he had the same problem as despite all
his efforts, his seeds didn't even germinate. But he decides to share a secret. He
has found a way to get around this problem. The day before, he went to the
market to buy the most beautiful bouquet of flowers he could find. He then says
to you: "There's no way I'm going to lose my chance to be king. If I show up
without flowers, I will be humiliated and the Queen will be disappointed" . You go
home and start thinking. What do you do?
o You get discouraged and give up because you are so ashamed to appear
before the Queen without flowers, go to 10.
o There is still one day left before the deadline. You run to the market to buy
a bouquet of flowers with your savings. Moreover, no one will know that
the flowers are not from the seeds the Queen gave you, go to 19.
o You are really sad that you didn't manage to grow the flowers but you
prefer going to the palace like other youths, show your seeds intact to the
Queen and explain to her that despite all your efforts, they didn't
germinate, go to 17.
16- The queen died without having designated an heir worthy of succeeding her.
A power battle broke out between her generals and, taking advantage of the
internal chaos, a bellicose neighboring king invaded the kingdom. Sorry, but
that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

17- On the appointed day, all youths went to the palace. One after the other,
they appeared before the queen one by one. They all had a pot full of flowers
each one more beautiful than the other. The queen shook her head in sadness
and though: "Were they all so easily tempted? Was there not one among them
with the integrity and courage to follow in my footsteps?" In your sadness, you
stayed at the end of the line and were hardly struggling to hold back your tears.
When it was your turn, you appeared before the queen with you seeds and
said: "I am very sorry to disappoint you, Your Majesty, the seeds you entrusted
me did not grow in spite of my devotion." A smile brightened the queen's face.
She jumped up and threw her arms around you. "I have found him! I have found
him!", she cried, "the seeds I gave you were previously toasted so that they
would never germinate. Everyone else tried to trick me with bought or borrowed
flowers. Only you have told the truth, you will rule this kingdom after me", go to
11.

18- At the palace, you are dozens of youth from all over the kingdom who have
made the trip and you are all delighted to learn that one of you would be the
future king or queen: the one who could grow within nineteen days the most
beautiful flowers from the seeds that had been specially prepared. Like every
youth, you receive a handful of seeds and hurry home to plant them. When you
return home, you put the seeds in a flowerpot and water them with pure spring
water. Every day, you take care of your seeds by airing them and exposing them
to the sun. But after nine days of good care, the seeds do not germinate yet.
What do you do?
o You get discouraged and give up, go to 10.
o You decide to be patient and wait a few more days while you continue
taking care of the seeds, go to 12.

19- On the appointed day, all youths went to the palace. One after the other, you
appeared before the queen with a pot full of flowers each one prettier than the
other. The queen shook her head in sadness and said: "the seeds I gave you
were previously toasted so that they would never germinate. You were all
tempted and tried to trick me with flowers that did not come from my seeds.
None of you is worthy to be my heir", go to 16.

XVI

1- Mouse was trembling. Almost everything frightened him. Almost
everything was bigger than he was. Not only was Mouse small but
he also felt small and insignificant. Lion was not afraid of anything.
He was strong and fierce. Convinced that nothing could harm him.,
he walked around full of confidence. And he seemed to be amused
that other animals were frightened of him. Which character will you like to play?
o If you will like to play Mouse, go to 7.
o If you prefer Lion, go to 11.

2-You turn back, leaving Lion to his sad fate. But no sooner have you taken a few
steps than a snake appears and swallows you whole. Sorry, but that's the end of
the story, start over at 1.

3-You eat Mouse on the spot and continue on your way. A few days later, while
walking proudly through your territory, you notice that several traps have been
laid out by hunters. " Foolish hunters" , you think to yourself. "They think they
can catch me!" You walk carefully and avoid every one of the traps; every one
that is, but not a net hanging in a tree. "Arrrr", you roar as the net crashes down
on you. You struggle to free yourself, but no matter how hard you try, you can't
get there. Then you think "ah, if only I hadn't eaten Mouse, I could have called
him for help because with his small size he could have gone through the ropes to
free me". That's how you ended up, captured by the hunters. Sorry, but that's
the end of the story, start over at 1.

4- You made Mouse angry with your arrogance. He turns back leaving you to
your sad fate. That's how you ended up, captured by the hunters. Sorry, but
that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

5- You approach and say to Lion, « "O Great One, I have come to hep you." But
Lion says," It is not a good laugh I need now, but strength and force!" What do
you decide to do now?
o This is too much. Lion's pride makes you angry. You decide to leave him to
his fate, go to 2.
o Despite Lion's arrogance, you do not allow yourself to be discouraged in
your willingness to help him because you will never abandon a friend, go to
6.

6- You go to work. Thanks to your small size you manage to get through the
holes in the net and, thread by thread, you chew through the ropes until there is
a large hole through which Lion can set himself free. Lion has learned a good
lesson from you. "I have misjudged you, my little friend" , He said. " Your
friendship turned out to be more valuable than all my power and strength."
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story. If you want to
follow back the story as Lion, go to 1.

7- You are Mouse. One day, you are gathering seeds in the shadow of a small
tree, Lion, who is passing by, strikes you and traps you in his big paw. You
tremble. Who do you decide to tell Lion to spare you life?
o "Please, O Great one, don't eat me. I am so small that I cannot be of any
use to you as meal. I will no satisfy you", go to 12.
o "Please, O Great one, don't eat me. If you spare me, I will be indebted to
you and I may be of use one of these days. Let me go and I will be your
friend forever", go to 8.

8- "A friend! Of what use is your friendship to me? Nevertheless, you make me
laugh. It is good to laugh. For that I will let you go this time" said Lion laughing.
A few days later, while walking proudly through his territory, Lion notice that
several traps have been laid out by hunters. " Foolish hunters" , he thought to
himself. "They think they can catch me!" He walks carefully and avoids every
one of the traps; every one that is, but not a net hanging in a tree. "Arrrr", roars
Lion as the net crashes down on him. He struggles to free himself, but no matter
how hard he tries, he can't get there. And you, hearing all the noise, you go over
to find out what is happening and see Lion caught in the net. What do you
decide to do?
o Despite your lack of physical strength, you decide to try to help your friend
Lion to get out of the net, go to 5.
o It serves Lion right. He made fun of your smallness the last time you met.
So, you leave him to his fate, go to 2.

9- Mouse immediately goes to work. Thanks to his small size, he manages to get
through the holes in the net and, thread by thread, he chews through the ropes
until there is a large hole through which you can set yourself free. You have
learned a good lesson from Mouse. "I have misjudged you, my little friend" , you
said. " Your friendship turned out to be more valuable than all my power and
strength." Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story. If
you want to follow back the story as Mouse, go to 1.

10- Amused, you let Mouse go. A few days later, while walking proudly through
your territory, you notice that several traps have been laid out by hunters. "
Foolish hunters", you think to yourself. "They think they can catch me!" You
walk carefully and avoid every one of the traps; every one that is, but not a net
hanging in a tree. "Arrrr", you roar as the net crashes down on you. You struggle
to free yourself, but no matter how hard you try, you can't get there. Mouse,
hearing all the noise, goes over to find out what is happening. When he sees you
caught in the net, He approaches and says, "O Great One, I have come to help
you." What do you answer?
o " It is not a good laugh I need now, but strength and force!" Run instead
to seek help from an animal stronger than you" , go to 4.
o " Thank you for your help Mouse. You don't know how relieved I am that
you came for me", go to 9.

11- You are Lion. One day, you are walking in the forest and see Mouse gathering
seeds in the shadow of a small tree. You strike him and trap him in your big paw.
Mouse trembles. "Please, O Great one, don't eat me", he says in fear. "Why not?"
You ask. "Surely, that is all you are good for." "But I am so small that I cannot
be of any use to you as meal" , says Mouse. "Let me go and I will be your friend
forever", What do you reply?
o " A friend! Of what use is a friendship with such an insignificant creature
like you to me? I am the king of the forest. I prefer eating you right now",
go to 3.
o " A friend! Of what use is your friendship to me? Nevertheless, you make
me laugh. It is good to laugh. For that I will let you go this time", go to 10.

12- Your words do not affect Lion. " Therefore, you are an appetizer before my
next prey", he says. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

XVII

1- Grandfather had aged. His hands would shake, he had trouble seeing, and his
hearing was not so good. Many of his teeth were missing, and he had constant
aches and pains. In fact, he had become so feeble that he had difficulty feeding
himself. During meals he would cough and wheeze, drop his food, and spill his
soup. Grandfather's condition gradually grew worse. One evening, during supper,
while eating with his son, daughter-in-law and grandson, grandfather dropped his
soup bowl and broke it. You are grandfather's son. You are annoyed and upset
by this situation. "What kind of an example do you think you are setting for your
grandson?", you ask to grandfather. " How can we teach him decent table
manners with such a bad example in front of him?" What do you decide?
o From then on, grandfather will eat in his room alone, go to 3.
o Grandfather will leave to set up with another family member, go to 2.
o From then on, grandfather will eat sitting on the floor to prevent him
dropping something, go to 4.

2- Your decision ends the story, start over at 1.

3- You tell grandfather that from now on, he can not eat at the table with you
any longer, but in his room alone. A few days later, you see your son carving
something out of wood. What do you say to him?
o "Stop playing and go study" , go to 5.
o " What are you making there?" , go to 6.
o "Stop carving right now and never do it again", go to 2.

4- Your decision ends the story, start over at 1.

5- In that case the story is over, start over at 1.

6- " I am carving a wooden bowl daddy", he replies, "so that when you get old,
you cannot break it and will not have to eat by yourself in your room like
grandpa." You feel ashamed listening to this reply. You realize that your son
needed not a lesson in table manners, but the example of loving kindness to his
grandfather. And so, grandfather came back to eat at the table with you and the
family learned to enjoy having meals together again, no matter any
inconveniences that might arise. Congratulations! You have reached the happy
ending of the story.

XVIII

1- You are a little monkey escaping from a band of village
children who are determined to catch you. You jump from
tree to tree in a panic. When you are sure that you have lost
them, you calm down, sit on a branch, and lazily look around.
Oh, how good you feel to be free! Your eyes catch sight of a
squirrel busy gathering nuts. It will take a few nuts, enter the
hollow of a tree through a hole, drop its load, come out, and
run to gather more. The oil of the nuts gives off a delicious
scent that arouses your appetite. "Here is some easy food" , you think. What do
you decide?
o You have lost a lot of strength with your escape and you are hungry. You
run to get the nuts before you faint, go to 2.
o You feel you will faint soon if you don't eat anything, however, you keep
running, go to 3.

2- You then go closer to investigate. Unfortunately, the hole is too small for you
to enter. So you put your hand in. You go down and down to reach the nuts and,
to your delight, your hand finally touches the nuts. You hastily grab a few and
try to pull them out. But now, your fist, closed around the nuts is too big to
come out through the hole. But if you open your hand, you lose the nuts. What
do you decide?
o Until your fist finally comes out of the hole you will not let go whatever the
cost, because you have to eat the nuts, go to 4.
o You prefer to give up. You open your hand, drop the nuts and keep going,
go to 5.

3- You keep running away jumping from branch to branch. A little further on, you
come across a palm tree full of nuts that you enjoy before continuing on your
way. At the end you are full and you have escaped from the children.
Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story. To find out
what would have happened if you hadn't been so detached go to 2.

4- So you keep trying to pull the nuts out. But there is no way that your fist full
of nuts will make it through the hole. So there you stand, unwilling to give up the
nuts, not even when you hear the children's voices again. And as luck would
have it, one of them spots you. You see the children running towards you, but
still you would not let go of the nuts. That's how you end up, sold to a zoo and
spend the rest of your life in a cage. Sorry, but that's the end of the story, start
over at 1.
5-You jump to the next branch and keep fleeing. A little further on, you come
across a palm tree full of nuts that you enjoy before running ahead. At the end
you are full and you have escaped from the children. Congratulations! You have
reached the happy ending of the story. To find out what would have happened if
you hadn't been so detached go to 4.

XIX

1- You are a teacher. It brings you great sadness to see that there is
much rancor among your students. They bicker and argue about the
most insignificant things. They constantly hurt one another's feelings.
And then, rather than forgiving and forgetting, they carry a grudge
for days, sometimes weeks. What do you think you can do?
o Try to find a way to improve the behaviors, go to 2.
o Letting go with no stress. Anyway, they are the ones suffering and not you,
go to 3.

2- One morning, you give each of the students an empty sack. In the front of the
room is a basket full of potatoes. "Friends, for every person who wrong you, put
a potato in your sack" , you say. The students should carry their sack with them
for one month. You tell them again: "At the end of the month, we shall compare
sacks." The students think this is a fine idea. But then you explain one more
thing: "If you forgive someone for what he or she has done, take a potato out
and throw it away." Slowly, the sacks begin to fill up, and at the end of the first
week, some students complain that they were becoming too heavy to carry. But
this doesn't stop them from adding potatoes to their sacks, determined as they
are to show how much they have been wronged by the others. By the third
week, some of the potatoes are decaying and giving off a nasty odor. But still
the students are not deterred from adding more potatoes. Finally, one clever boy
figure it out.
o If you too have figured out how to solve the problem, go to 4.
o If you have not figure out how to solve the problem and want to know
what the boy did, go to 5.
o If you are not interested in how the problem can be solved, go to 3.

3- In that case, that's the end of the story, start over at 1.

4- Indeed, if a student forgives all his classmates' wrongdoings, he can throw all
the potatoes out of his sack. But have you understood what can push a student
to forgive all the wrongdoings of his classmates?
o If so, go to 6.
o If no, go to 5.

5- The boy thought about his sack of potatoes. He thought about his classmates.
Instead of thinking about their wrongdoings, he remembered moments when
they had been good friends to him. The more he thought about that, the more
he realized how easy it was to get rid of the potatoes. And so, in one act of
forgiveness, he threw the entire sack away. By the next day, the students had all
understood the teacher's point. Congratulations! You have reached the happy
ending of the story.

6- Well done. Instead of thinking about their wrongdoings, he has to remember
moments when his classmates were nice to him. That way it becomes easier to
forgive them. Congratulations! You have reached the happy ending of the story.

XX

1- Often, it is said that in a community or a group, the absence of one person has
no effect since things will always get done without him or her.
o If you agree with this, go to 2.
o If you disagree, go to 3.

2- Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx
of thx kxys. I wish that it would work pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-onx
othxr kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs all thx
diffxrxncx.
It sxxms to mx that a community is not unlikx my typxwritxr. Anyonx of us can
say: "Wxll, I am only onx pxrson. What I do won't makx orbrxak thx community."
That is trux. But xvxryonx doxs makx a diffxrxncx. A community nxxds thx activx
participation of xvxyonx of its mxmbxrs.
So nxxt timx you think your xfforts don't count, think of my typxwritxr and say to
yoursxlf: "Although thxrx arx many pxoplx in thx community and things will gxt
donx without mx, I must play my part. I won't bx a brokxn kxy."

Now, go to 3.

3- Even though my typewriter is an old model, it works quite well except for one
of the keys. I wish that it would work perfectly. It is true that there are forty-
one other keys that function well enough, but just one key not working makes all
the difference.

It seems to me that a community is not unlike my typewriter. Anyone of us can
say: "Well, I am only one person. What I do will not make or break the
community." That is true. But everyone does make a difference. A community
needs the active participation of every one of its members.

So next time you think your efforts don't count, think of my typewriter and say to
yourself," Although there are many people in the community and thing will get
done without me, I must play my part." I won't be a broken key."

Congratulations! go to 2 for the counter example.
-- Interactive Stories (Used by permission of the curator)