Inspirational Stories

Napoleon and the Furrier

During Napoleon's invasion of Russia, his troops were
battling in the middle of yet another small town in that
endless wintry land, when he was accidentally separated from his men. A group of Russian Cossacks spotted him and began chasing him through the twisting streets. Napoleon ran for his life and ducked into a little furrier's shop on a side alley. As Napoleon entered the shop, gasping for breath, he
saw the furrier and cried piteously, "Save me, save me!

Where can I hide?" The furrier said, "Quick, under this big pile of furs in the corner," and he covered Napoleon up with many furs.
No sooner had he finished than the Russian Cossacks
burst in the door, shouting "Where is he? We saw him come in." Despite the furrier's protests, they tore his shop apart trying to find Napoleon. They poked into the pile of furs with their swords but didn't find him. Soon, they gave
up and left.

After some time, Napoleon crept out from under the
furs, unharmed, just as Napoleon's personal guards came in the door. The furrier turned to Napoleon and said timidly, "Excuse me for asking this question of such a great man, but what was it like to be under those furs, knowing that the next moment would surely be your last?"

Napoleon drew himself up to his full height and said to the furrier indignantly, "How could you ask such a question of me, the Emperor Napoleon! Guards, take this impudent man out, blindfold him and execute him. I, myself, will personally give the command to fire!"

The guards grabbed the poor furrier, dragged him outside, stood him up against a wall and blindfolded him.
The furrier could see nothing, but he could hear the movements of the guards as they slowly shuffled into a line and prepared their rifles, and he could hear the soft
ruffling sound of his clothing in the cold wind. He could feel the wind tugging gently at his clothes and chilling his cheeks, and the uncontrollable trembling in his legs. Then he heard Napoleon clear his throat and call out slowly,
"Ready. . . aim. . ." In that moment, knowing that even
these few sensations were about to be taken from him
forever, a feeling that he couldn't describe welled up in
him as tears poured down his cheeks.

After a long period of silence, the furrier heard footsteps approaching him and the blindfold was stripped from his eyes. Still partially blinded by the sudden
sunlight, he saw Napoleon's eyes looking deeply and intently into his own - eyes that seemed to see into every dusty corner of his being. Then Napoleon said softly, "Now you know."

- Steve Andreas

Friend

It's easier to make friends than to keep them.
A pretty face, a clever mind, a jovial manner,
a generous impulse, a happy occasion,
can be cause enough to arouse your interest in a person at first encounter.
But time tells.
The friends you want to keep are the friends who mean the most.
Do not expect too much of them.
Be careful.
Do not ask favor.
Just content yourself with the pleasant belief
that they would do anything for you.
Do not set traps for them.
If you tempt a friend, you are unworthy of friendship.
Do not ask them to go out of their way to accomodate you.
Do not presume on their good nature.
Enjor friends like flowers, but never cut them.

- Author Unknown

Food for Thought !

"Life is illogical. It is wild. In life, contradictions are not contradictions but complementariness."

- Anonymous

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