There was a disabled old woman that lived in a forest. She had two nephews. One was tall and strong, the other was very lame and rather clumsy. Each day, her nephews brought all that the old woman may need to her house. But the weaker nephew always felt ashamed for bringing much less things than his cousin. He always lost something in the way. He was tormented by that. He felt very unhappy, and started a competition with his cousin in which he never won. One day, in despair, he went to visit the old woman sooner, and said her: "Dear Aunt, I will never come back here. Mi cousin can look after you much better than me. I am just a hindrance... I always end losing everything and I'm not useful for caring about anyone". The old woman looked at him with sweetness. "You, my nephew, are who brings more happiness to me. Haven't you seen all the beauty and joy that surrounds my house?" The boy saw that all around the house of the old woman there were dozens of fruit trees and flowers of all colors. "Each day that you come, you drop some piece of fruit. You bring the water and pour it over the earth, and thus you water the fields. You are the author of all this, you bring happiness to my days. Your flaws have become virtues, and you are my favorite". Since that day, the boy felt proud of his limp and his clumsiness. And since that day, he had a sparkle in his eyes that lasted forever.

There was a conceited woman that loved to stare her face reflected in a pond. She used to go there when the full moon shone in the sky, because it made her reflection become more enigmatic and beautiful. But as time and years passed away, when the woman saw her face in the pond, she used to cry. The pass of time had marked her, and that gave her a big anguish. One day, when she was knelt in the pond, feeling depressed for her reflection, she saw a strange flower. Its petals were white as snow, white as the moon. When she saw it, she was amazed, and forgot her suffering. Since then, her main purpose was that pale flower, that bloomed into the night. Each night, she gave it all her care. She awaited the night with anxiousness, as if her life depended on it, to go to the pond were this strange flower lived. And the years passed so quickly... And one day, the woman met a conceited youngster that had gone to the pond to watch her face reflected in the waters. The woman said her "Are you coming to see my beautiful flower?" And the young girl answered: "That thing? No, don't you think that flower is ghostly and dreadful?" "Not at all. It is the most beautiful thing that the waters of a pond may ever reflect", said the woman, and suddenly, she vanished like smoke. Since that day, the young girl started to be obsessed with that strange flower. She called it Vanity. And each night, she went to the pond. She gave it all her care and love, as if her life depended on it.

There was a distant country that was in war. The King knew that their defeat was near. His soldiers were very weak and their enemies clearly outnumbered their forces. The King was a widower, and he only had a daughter that he loved very much. He thought "I don't care if I die, but I would like to protect my daughter". So he went to the rooms of her daughter, and said her: "Dear daughter, I don't want that my enemies could capture you. I don't care if I die, but I want to keep you safe. So cut off your hair, wear these rags. Here you are the royal jewels. Take a horse and get away from here". The princess said him: "Father, I want to suffer the same luck of the women of our country. I don't fear what they could do to me. I think that what you're asking me is unfair". Her father didn't want to hear her, and forced her to follow his orders. The princess, with her hair cut off, and wearing rags, rode a horse through the night into the forests. At dawn, she was away from her kingdom, and decided to stop and went asleep under a tree. So she was found by some generals of a neighbor realm that were going to help the King. They awoke her and said: "You robber, in the middle of a war you're plundering palaces". And without any opportunity of replying, they killed her. The war was won, and the generals of the neighbor realm knelt before the King. "We are proud of that we have taken part in this war, and we are joyful with your victory. We bring you this". And shaking a sack, they show him his royal jewels. "Here you are the heart of the coward thief that stole your treasures". In that moment, when the King saw the heart of his daughter, he drop dead. In his funeral, everyone commented "How great was the King that died. His gratitude filled his heart so much, that he couldn't bear it".

He was son of a sailor, and grandson of a sailor. Since his early childhood he had learned to love the sea. He loved to watch the fishes. He stayed still behind a rock and watched them swimming. One day, he saw those creatures that sailors mention when they drink too much: the mermaids. Although there were many mermaids, he had eyes just for one. During years, sailor and mermaid met in the same rock. But the other mermaids, feeling anguished for that impossible love, sang a song of oblivion. And the mermaid forgot the sailor. But the sailor kept going to the same rock with a guitar, singing love songs, so some day, the mermaid would remember again. So one day, the mermaid recovered her memories. Thus, the mermaid and the sailor kept meeting in the same rock, because true love can't be caught in oblivion.

It was the day before Christmas and it was cold, very cold. In the middle of that terrible cold, there was a child who sold matches. In her home they were very poor, and in that day she had not sold even one match box. So there was no money to bring home. She was very hungry and was very cold. So she sat in a corner, and from there she could see the Christmas lights, and hear other children's laughs while they were decorating the Christmas tree. She could also smell the turkey. The child was there all alone, and no one cared about her. No one had noticed that there was a poor child dressed with rags, hungry and cold, in the Christmas Eve. She was so cold that lighted a match to warm herself. But soon it went out, and she lighted another and another. Then, suddenly, her mother, that was in the Heaven for years, appeared wearing a white and beautiful dress. The child stared her mother with emotion, and with tears in her eyes, said her: "Mom, why don't you take me with you?" And her mother smiled at her, took her and, and together, they went up through a long stairway surrounded by clouds. The following day, some people saw that child, who sold matches. She seemed to be sleeping. But from that dream she would never wake up. In her face, there was a sweet smile. With this famous tale by Hans Christian Andersen, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas. And remember that there are many match-sellers like the child of this tale in the world. There are many people that say they hate Christmas, and they say this when they actually don't lack of anything important. Don't look to another side when you see people that are hungry and cold in the Christmas day. My wish is that we all could be happy and value what we have.

The Wolf And The Dog One day, the wolf approached a dog that was guarding the sheep, and said: "Don't be afraid, I won't take any sheep. I just want to know how pleasant is your job". The dog told him: "Not bad. I just have to care the sheep, and praise my owner. So he gives me some bones, and even the leftovers of what he eats!" The wolf stared at the dog. He was big and stout. However, the wolf was hungry and very thin. "Not a bad job at all" -said the wolf- "And what's that thing you are wearing in the neck?" "It's a collar. It's for tying me." "For tying you? Do they tie you? And can't you run free?", asked the wolf. "Run? Where to? And what for?" The wolf said goodbye to the dog. And ran free through the forest, feeling the wind and smelling the country flowers. Then, he remembered the dog, and felt sorry for him. The Wolf And The Mother The wolf saw the farmer getting away from his house. And thought "This is the chance to get close and try to steal some food". He approached the house and saw a woman with a baby in her arms. The mother was saying to the baby: "Don't you cry. If you cry, the wolf will hear you, and he is very strong and big". When the wolf heard this, felt very proud of himself. And, praised, watched his own image reflected in the window. Amazed of his image, got distracted, and when he noticed, the woman was pointing at him with a shotgun. The wolf stared her frightened. But her shotgun jammed, and was unable to fire the wolf. This way, the wolf was able to scape. The wolf watched the woman from between the bushes. No one was never so close to kill him. She seemed fragile and weak. Since that day, he never trusted those who seem weak and flattering. The Wolf And The Sheep Once upon a time, a wolf saw a sheep that was tied. And thought "How easy will be to hunt her". When he approached the sheep, she said "Do you know why my owner tied me? Because I am very dangerous and the flock is in danger with me." The wolf laughed, and said her "You silly, you try to fool me..." The sheep answered "Do you think my owner would risk to loose my wool, my milk and my meat?" The wolf went away. Having so much self confidence... she must be right. Nowadays, that sheep is still laughing at that wolf.

The man that couldn't see anybody In the Kingdom of Qi, there was a very greedy man who loved the gold. One day walking by the square, dressed with his best clothes, he saw a man who was selling gold. He quickly closed to him and stole him a big piece of gold in front of everyone's eyes, and went out running. When he was captured, they asked him: -"Why did you steal a piece of gold in front of everybody?" And he answered - "Because I didn't see anybody, I only could see a big piece of gold!!!" The suspect One day a man lost his axe, and suspected his neighbour's son. He stayed staring at that boy. And the boy walked like a thief, talked like a thief, and he behaved like a thief. Yes, he was sure: he was a thief. The following day, he found his axe in the valley. Without a doubt, he had forgotten it there. And in that very moment, he saw his neighbour's son. The boy walked like a good boy, talked like a good boy, and he behaved like a good boy. Yes, he was sure: he was a good boy. The parable of the study "I'm a seventy years old man"- said the Duke Ping Ying to his musician Shi Kuang- "I would like to be studying, learning and reading some books, but it's too late, I'm very old." Shi Kuang asked him- "Why? Maybe your candle doesn't light?" The Duke Ping Ying, feeling angry, said: "Shameless! Do you laugh at me?" "Me?" -said Shi Kuang- "Oh no, my Lord, I don't laugh at you. One day I heard this: -When someone studies when is young, his future is bright like the sun at dawn. -When someone studies when is middle aged, is like the sun in the morning. -And when someone studies when is old, is like the light in a candle. Even thought the candle doesn't bright too much, that it's better than walking in the darkness." And the duke moved his head in sign of approval. Without a doubt, in fables, you can always learn something. And, in some of them, so much...

Once upon a time, in the medieval times of Cordoba, a nobleman and his servant were in the flea market when they meet the Death. When they saw the Death, both stayed paralyzed by fear. And the Death made a strange grimace, pointed to them and said: "When the night comes, the Death awaits you in Cordoba", and vanished into the air. The servant, very nervous, said to his master: "My Lord, Death pointed to me! Master, I've been always loyal to you... the Death pointed to me! I don't wanna die! I am too young, and have a wife and children..." And the nobleman stare at him with compassion, and said: "Let's go home. Take my fastest steed, and ride, ride as far as you can before the night comes. Go far away from Cordoba, so the Death can't take you." "Thanks, my Lord", replied the servant, "I will always be loyal to you and I will never forget this kind gesture". When the night came, the Death knocked on the nobleman's door. And he went out and said to the Death: "You arrive too late. My servant is by this time far from Cordoba". And the Death answered: "Your... servant? ... I was not here for your servant... I came to take you with me." In that precise moment, the nobleman felt a strong pain in his chest, and drop dead to the floor. In conclusion, nobody can fool the Death. And let's remember what the vikings used to say: "Nobody dies the day before". To frame this tale, nobody is better than the Spanish Gothic artist Victoria Frances.

One upon a time in a far away place, lived a peasant who loved very much his village and his people. One day, when he was going for water to the lake, the huts began to burn. When he returned from the lake, he felt horrified for seeing his village in flames. All that he loved was burning. And he ran, ran very much to the lake, and he swear to the Heaven that he could give his live in exchange for saving his village. And hugged the water and turned running to the village, and with his body he extinguished the flames. He returned to the lake forever with his deformed appearance and his skin fill of blisters. When he eats remembers his former life and drops tears of nostalgia. He will be called Crocodile forever. Sometimes we fear those who we most admire.