English Original
A husbandman had a quarrelsome family. After trying in vain to reconcile them with words, he thought an example might work better. He called his sons and told them to bring a bundle of sticks. He tied the sticks into a fagot and asked each son, one after another, to try and break it. They all tried, but none succeeded.
Then, untying the fagot, he gave them the sticks to break one by one. This they did with the greatest ease.
The father then said, "Thus, my sons, as long as you remain united, you are a match for all your enemies; but if you differ and separate, you are undone."
Union is strength.
中文翻译
一位农夫的家庭很不和睦。他尝试用言语劝和，但毫无效果。于是他想，或许一个实际的例子能更好地说服他们。他把儿子们都叫来，吩咐他们拿来一捆木柴。他把木柴捆成一捆，然后让儿子们挨个尝试折断它。每个人都试了，但都失败了。
接着，他解开捆，把木柴一根一根地递给他们去折。这次，他们都轻而易举地折断了。
这时，父亲说道：“孩子们，你们看，只要你们团结一致，就能应对所有的敌人；但如果你们意见不合、各自为政，就会一败涂地。”
团结就是力量。