Aesop was a great story teller of the 6th century BC. This famous proverb is spun out of his fable entitled, “The fox and die rabbit.” Once an unwary rabbit strayed into die territory of a fox. The sight of the fat rabbit watered the fox’s mouth. He gingerly approached the rabbit. But an alert rabbit saw him come and flee away.
The fox chased the rabbit and was nearly closing in on him. Meanwhile, the fox saw another rabbit at a little distance! Leaving die first rabbit, the fox targeted the second one. The second rabbit too ran away for his dear life. The fox chased in vain as this rabbit had slipped into a briar patch.
The fox left it and looked for the first rabbit. But that too had escaped in the mean time. The stupid fox paused disappointedly as he could not catch any one of them! This is the story. The fox thus missed its prey, just because he had tried two different goals and that too simultaneously!
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Had he continued to pursue the first one, he would have been successful. But the diversified thought and action deprived him of both the chances!
This fable tells a moral that any one that is after a target, be it one’s further education or job opportunity or setting up a business or any other goal in the life, should not have a scatter brain and should not switch over from one thing to another.
A student, who takes up a three year degree course, should complete it first, before he goes for another. Abandoning one half ways down and opting for another will bear no fruit.
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Like the fox that failed in both the attempts in the story, just because he left the first rabbit and chased the second one, anyone who discontinues one task and go for another cannot accomplish in either.
This great moral is told in the school rhymes in the poem, “Work while you work! ….One thing at a time/ and that done well!”
Valiant of this proverb is, “He who paddles two canoes, sink!” A man who stands on two canoes and paddles both simultaneously is tend to fall in the waters, as the canoes will drift apart, tossing him down.
Therefore, it is always advisable to complete one thing first and go for another. For that, one has to have a perfect plan. About planning Pealed had said, “Plan your work for today and everyday, then work your plan!” How simple and nice!