The Three Red Squirrels And The Gray Squirrel - A Fable

It was just before winter, and all the squirrels were busy gathering up acorns to eat during the cold months ahead. This particular woods was inhabited by three small red squirrels, and one large gray squirrel. The red squirrels scurried about, but they found very few acorns. Confused, they went to the gray squirrel to ask if he had found many. He said that he did, and that they were having trouble because he had stockpiled as many acorns as possible, to ensure that he would be fine. "You must have more than enough, so could you give us some? We may starve this year," pleaded the red squirrels. "You are industrious creatures, you can make it on your own," replied the gray squirrel. Winter came, and the red squirrels decided to join together and share each other's acorns. They barely managed to survive, but they did.
The next year, the red squirrels all worked together to gather as many acorns as possible before the gray squirrel. When they built up a large enough store, they waited. Eventually, the gray squirrel came, asking if they had any luck finding acorns. "Why yes, yes we did," they told him. "But there are too few left for me, I may starve. You could share with me," the gray squirrel begged. "But you are an industrious creature, you can work this out on your own," the red squirrels replied. The gray squirrel left, and ran about the forrest trying to find every last acorn. He managed to live through that winter, and had time to think about the red squirrels' actions. He realized why they did what they did. They were only returning the favor.