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The Cat, The Cock & The Mouse
A long time ago, there was a young mouse. One day, after venturing out of his hole, he scurried back home, eyes wide and heart pounding. "Oh, Mother, I just witnessed two of the most remarkable creatures!"
"Tell me all about them, my child" his mother said, curious.
"One was beautiful and gentle," he began. "She was snoozing silently with soft, sleek fur and a long, fluffy tail. The other was a terrifying monster, adorned with jagged pieces of raw meat on its head and under its chin. Just before I was about to make myself known to the beautiful creature, the scary one bulged his eyes and bellowed a ghastly shriek, causing me to flee in fear of my life."
His mother's expression turned grave and said calmly "Oh my child, you have escaped death today, but not for the reasons you think. The of which your were afraid is merely a harmless rooster. He is there to alarm other animals when danger is near. The real monster is the other one you described as the beautiful creature. She is a vicious, bloodthirsty cat, and she would have eaten you as her next snack had she awoken and seen you."
The little mouse's eyes grew even wider. "I had no idea, Mother! Thank you for telling me."
"Never forget" his mother advised, "things are not always what they seem. It's important to understand who our true friends and enemies really are."
The moral of the story: Sometimes, the things we fear the most aren't the real dangers. It's important to understand who our true friends and enemies are.
The Intern, The Manager, & The HR Director: A Modern Fable Back in 2010, there there was a young intern named Tim. One day, after wandering the floor, he rushed back to his cubicle, eager to share his latest experience with his mentor.
"Oh, Sarah," Tim exclaimed, "I just encountered two of the most interesting colleagues!"
"Tell me what you saw" Sarah said, curious.
"One was calm and seemed really approachable," Tim began. "He was sitting quietly at his desk, with a friendly smile and a laid-back demeanor. The other was a terrifying presence, with a stern look and a booming voice that echoed through the office. Just before I was about to introduce myself to the friendly one, the stern one bulged his eyes and barked out orders, causing me to flee in fear of getting reprimanded."
Sarah smiled gently and said, "Oh, Tim, that stern colleague you speak of is just Mr. Roberts from HR. He has a loud voice to ensure everyone follows company policy, but he is actually very helpful and fair. The real person you need to be cautious about is the one you described as calm and approachable. He is Mr. Harris, a shrewd manager who would have assigned you impossible tasks just because he likes to torture naive interns who enter his office. He fires one or two every year just for his own satisfaction."
Tim's eyes grew even wider. "I had no idea, Sarah! Thank you for telling me."
"Always remember, Tim," Sarah advised, "things are not always what they seem. It's important to understand who your true allies and adversaries are in the workplace."
From that day on, Tim the intern was much more cautious and always listened to his mentor's wise advice.
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