A man who has too high an opinion of his own worth, rank, power and qualities has a nasty fall. He comes to harm. It is said that by pride even the angels fell. History is replete with examples of kings who fell because of their false pride.

Hitler was proud of his power. This false pride of his power proved ultimately to be the cause of his downfall and death. The British were proud of their power and hold over India.

They used to say with pride, “The sun never sets on the British Empire.” Where is that pride now? The British had to quit India bag and baggage. They had to recognize India as a sovereign Republic. Britain is no longer a first rate power.

Once upon a time the wind bandied words with the sun and bragged of his superior force. Both at last agreed to apply by turn their force to a traveller and thus put their strength to the test. The wind had the first chance and he blew hard trying to make the traveller take off his cloak.

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But he found that the man was shivering with cold and, far from unbuttoning it, he held his cloak fast to his body.

After the wind, the sun came out in the sky. He beat hot and the traveller felt warm and took off his Cloak. The wind applied force and was baffled in his attempt while the sun applied warmth gently and got the better of him. This small story proves that pride goeth before a fall.

Every school child has read the story of the vain stag. He was proud of his beautiful and branching horns but he looked down upon his ugly and slender legs and cursed God for them.

He was thus murmuring and the words had hardly escaped his lips when he was set upon by hounds. He ran hard. The thin legs that he had despised carried him as fast as they could but his horns of which he was proud got entangled into a thorny bush. In spite of all his efforts, he could not extricate himself.

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He stood there helpless and trembling, when the bounds overtook him. They sprang upon him in a body and tore him to pieces. His last dying words were, “O God, the thin legs I disliked exerted themselves to save my life, but the horns of which I was so proud pushed me into the jaws of death”.

This little story also shows that pride leads to a fall. Such instances can be multiplied. It is humility that always” pays. The haughty cannot withstand the storms of life.