The Lost Shoe

Once a poor farmer had a daughter named Little Pea. After his wife died, the farmer married again. His new wife had a daughter, Stout Nut. Unfortunately, the new wife was very cruel to Little Pea. Little Pea had to do chores all day. This made Little Pea’s father very upset. He soon died of a broken heart.

Summer came and went. In the fall, the village held its harvest festival. That year, everyone was excited as the prince wanted to choose his wife from the village. Stout Nut’s mother made new clothes for her, but poor Little Pea had none.

However, before the festival started, a fairy appeared and magically changed Little Pea’s rags into beautiful clothes.

As Little Pea ran to the festival, she dropped one of her shoes and lost it. When the prince found the shoe, he decided to marry the girl who owned it. Of course the shoe fitted Little Pea. and the prince immediately fell in love with her.

The train began to turn wheels. Gandhi jumped aboard. One of his shoes fell down. Gandhi could not jump down to pick it up while the train was getting faster and faster. To everyone's astonishment, Gandhi removed the remaining shoe and threw it at the other shoe.

Passengers on the train marveled at his odd behavior. Gandhi smiled and explained, "If a poor person ever gets the first one, they can find the second one and they will be able to use my shoes."


We often think less of others but only ourselves. When we are lost, the first thing we think about is our disadvantages and misfortunes. We spend too much time regretting, complaining, depressed, even becoming irritable and frustrated by the risks. Gandhi had a noble act because in his own loss, he could still think of others.

Gandhi's actions proved that thinking of others became part of his thoughts and principles of life. If in times of peace and success, we don't even care about those who are more unfortunate than us, will we be able to do so when we encounter difficulties and losses?

There are so many difficult people around us. They are in need of help. What they lack is not always material, but sometimes just a comforting word of encouragement. How happy our world will be if each person not only cares for his or her own interests but also the interests of others.