The Dependent Baby Goat

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During a dry season, Mother Goat took Baby Goat up a mountain to find fresh grass to eat. As she could not find fresh grass nearby, she took out a brass bell and hung it around Baby Goat’s neck and said, “Stay here. I will go look for green grass. If you are in danger, ring the bell and I will come to your rescue.”Then, Mother Goat went further up the mountain. But she had only walked a few steps when she heard the bell ring. She ran back immediately. Mother Goat asked, “What happened?”Baby Goat replied, “Mama, please get this fly off my nose!”Mother Goat said, “You should do such simple things on your own, instead of relying on me for everything.”

Mother Goat had just set off again when she heard the bell ring. Mother Goat ran back quickly. Baby Goat said, “Mama, a grain of sand has flown into my eye! It hurts!”Mother Goat said, “Just close your eyes, and the pain will go away soon.”Then, she set off again to find fresh grass.

Searching the mountain for grass made Mother Goat feel a little tired. So, she sat down under a tree to rest. Suddenly, she heard the bell ringing again. She thought, “This child is so dependent. As they say, ‘Everyone is the architect of his own fortune. Parents have to teach their children the value of independence.’I should teach him how to be independent too.”However, the ringing became increasingly frantic, and Mother Goat heard a wolf howling. So, she ran back immediately.

She saw a wolf who was just about to bite Baby Goat. So, she quickly chased the wolf away. She told Baby Goat, “You always trouble me for the slightest things. How shall I believe you if something really bad happens? Thank goodness I arrived in time to rescue you, or you would have been eaten by the wolf!”Baby Goat replied, “Mama, I will learn to resolve small problems myself and not to trouble you all the time.”