Конечно, иметь деньги - это хорошо. Но все проблемы начинаются тогда, когда они становятся единственной целью в жизни. Деньги, несомненно, важны, но они должны быть лишь фундаментом для создания хорошей семьи, в которой есть лю­ бовь; для поддержания дружбы, для получения хорошего образования и для развития личности.

Но все же за деньги нельзя купить верных друзей, настоящую преданную лю­ бовь и, конечно, нельзя купить счастье.

A Quiz. Are You Able To Become Rich?

Answer the questions o f the quiz and find out whether you are able to become rich some day.

1.Are you afraid of taking responsibilities?

a)I am not afraid of taking responsibilities for myself and other people - 3;

b)I am ready to take responsibilities only for myself - 2;

c)I am afraid of taking any responsibilities - 1.

2.If others don't approve of your ideas, will you give them up?

a)yes - 1;

b)n o -3 ;

c)I'll think my ideas over again - 2.

3.If you have some problems, you will:

a)think that all the problems will pass away in due time - 2;

b)analyse the situation and try to find the best way out - 3;

c)be depressed - 1.

4.It’s better to keep your savings in:

a)currency - 1;

b)stocks - 3;

c)a bank - 2.

5.Are you a lucky person?

a)sometimes I am - 2;

b)extremely lucky - 3;

c)no - 1.

6.Do you use only reliable methods in your work?

a)yes - 1;

b)I combine them with new ones - 2;

c)I prefer non-standart methods - 3.

7.What is most important in earning a million?

a)good laws - 2;

b)personal qualities - 3;

c)favourable circumstances - 1.

8.If you earn a big sum of money, will you try to double it?

a)no - 1;

b)yes, but without any risk - 24;

c)by all means, even if it is risky - 3.

Now check up your scores.

8-13

You don’t have many chances to become rich. You lack persistence in reaching your goals. You are not ready to take reasonable risk and take decisions.

The Brahmin was happy. He opened his bag and many gold coins poured into it. When the bag was half full the magician said: "Remember: if you take too much gold it may break the bag. But when the gold falls to the ground it will take the form of stones." The Brahmin was greedy and he said: "The bag is strong. It can hold a lot of gold. Give me more!" More gold coins poured into the bag.

After a time the magician said again: "Listen, Brahmin, there is too much gold in your bag, will it not do?" Indeed, the Brahmin had so much gold in his bag that he was the richest man in India. But he was very greedy. So he said: "No, no, give me more!" At last the magician said: "The bag is full. It will do."

But the Brahmin cried out: "Please, give me a little more gold, just a little. A few more gold coins poured into the bag. Suddenly the bag broke. All the gold fell to the ground and took the form of stones.

A Wise Man And A Raja

A wise man heard that the raja liked to talk to wise people. So the man came to the capital and went right to the raja's palace. But the man's clothes were old and dirty and the raja did not want to see him. Next day the wise man asked his friend to give him new clothes and again went to the palace. This time the raja met him at the door and said that he was happy to see him. Then he took the man to a large room where they sat down to a rich dinner. At dinner the raja saw that the wise man did not eat, but put pieces of food into the pockets of his new coat. The raja was surprised. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"You see," the wise man answered, "yesterday I came in old clothes and you did not want to see me. Today I came in new clothes and you asked me to dinner. So I understand that this food is not for me, but for my new clothes and I feed them."

A Woodcutter And A Goblin

A woodcutter was cutting trees near the river. Suddenly his axe dropped out of his hand into the water. The woodcutter began to cry. He was a poor man and had no money to buy another axe. Suddenly an ugly goblin came out of the water. The woodcutter told him about his sorrow. The goblin dived into the water and came out with a gold axe.

"Is this your axe?" he asked the woodcutter.

"No, it is not," the woodcutter answered and began to cry again. The goblin dived a second time and brought a silver axe. "Is this your axe?" he asked.

"No, it is not," said the woodcutter. Then the goblin dived a third time and came back with the woodcutter's axe.

Is this your axe, then?" he asked.

"Yes, yes, it is," the woodcutter cried out happily. He took his axe and warmly thanked the goblin.

The goblin liked the woodcutter's honesty and gave him the gold and silver axes as a present.

The woodcutter came home and told his story to a neighbour. That neighbour was a greedy man. When he heard the story he took his axe and ran to the river. He threw the axe into the water and began to cry loudly.

The goblin came out of the water and asked: "What's the matter with you?" "I have dropped my axe into the water," the man said. "I am so unhappy." The goblin dived and brought a gold axe.

"Is this your axe?" he asked the man. The greedy man shouted gladly: "Yes, it is. Give it to me, quick!"

And he wanted to take the axe away from the goblin. But the goblin did not give him the gold axe. He did not give him back his own axe, either.

The Merchant And The Tinker

Once a merchant and a tinker had a quarrel. They could not agree which was better: to be rich or to be clever.

The merchant said: "Money will help a man in any trouble." The tinker said: "Money will not help a man if he is not clever."

"Listen," said the merchant, "if you can prove that you are right I shall give you a million rupees. If I can prove that I am right, you will become my slave."

"All right," said the tinker.

Then they went to the raja and told him about their quarrel. The raja was a cruel man, he often put people to death. So he decided to kill the two men at once. But the raja never put to death more than one man in one day. So he thought of a plan.

He gave the merchant a letter and said:

"Now you must go to the state of my neighbour, the king, and give him this letter." The merchant and the tinker went to the king's state and gave him the raja's letter. The

king opened the letter and read: "King, my brother, put these men to death." When the merchant heard this he fell at the king's feet and cried out: "O, king, take all my money, but do not take away my life!"

The king laughed:

"I do not want to take your money. Kings are rich".

And he ordered his soldiers to kill the two men at once. Suddenly the tinker laughed. The king was surprised.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked.

"O, king," the tinker said, "listen to me. Five days ago one of the raja's ministers who is a very wise man saw us at the palace. He told the raja: "These men must be put to death. But if you put them to death yourself, a lot of trouble will come to you and your state. Send them to your neighbour, the king, and ask him to kill them".

When the king heard this he became very angry, and said:

"Go back to your raja and tell him that soon my soldiers will attack his state. I shall fight with him and make him my slave."

The merchant and the tinker went back to the raja and told him this.

The raja was frightened. Then he again ordered to put the two men to death. When the tinker heard the raja's order he laughed. The raja was surprised.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked.

"I am laughing," the tinker answered, "because you want to put me to death but you don't know that I, and only I, can stop the king's army."

"Try to stop it then," the raja cried out. "But if you cannot do this I shall order to put you to death at once."

The tinker got upon a horse and rode towards the enemy's army. He saw the king who rode in front of his soldiers.

The tinker came up and said to him:

"You cannot go to our land before you kill me."

The king thought: "If I kill him, a lot of trouble will come to me and to my state." And he cried out:

"No, I shall not kill you. Go back to your raja and let him kill you if he likes.'" And the king ordered his soldiers to go back.

The tinker came to the raja again and said:

"I have stopped the king's army. I have also proved that it is better to be clever than to be rich. Let the merchant pay me the money."

And the merchant payed the tinker one million rupees.

A JAPANESE TALE

A Greedy Woman

Once upon a time a poor old peasant was cutting in the forest on a mountain side when he found a spring of cool water. He drank a little water from it, as it was a hot day and he was thirsty. The water was wonderfully refreshing. Then he saw his face in the water and was surprised to find that he had suddenly grown young. The wrinkles had all gone from his face, his eyes were clear, and his head which a moment ago had been bald, was covered with thick black hair. As he rose to his feet, he felt the strength of a young man in his body. In great joy the peasant ran down the mountain side to tell the news to his wife. When he ran into their little cottage, his wife could not recognize him, so changed was he from the old man he had been in the morning when she saw him last. He told his wife that he was really her husband. When she realized that a wonderful spring had changed her old husband into a young man she began to cry, because she was afraid that such a handsome young man would not love a weak old woman.

"But you must drink this wonderful water too," he cried. "We'll both be young. I can easily show you the spring. Go there at once, while I remain to guard the cottage."

An hour passed, two hours, a long time, but the woman did not return. "What is the matter with her?" he thought.

At last the man went to her. He found the spring, but his wife was not there. He loudly called her name, but received no answer. Suddenly he heard pitiful yells from under a bush. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a baby girl, crying bitterly. The poor woman in her eagerness had drunk too much water!

A RUSSIAN TALE

The Greedy Old Woman

Once upon a time there lived an Old Man and his Old Woman. One day he went to cut wood in the forest. He found an old tree, lifted his axe and began to cut the tree. The tree said to him: "Do not cut me down, muzhik, I can get you whatever you need". "Well, make me rich". "Go home. I grant that you shall have everything you wish". The Old Man came home to find himself the owner of a new house, the possessor of lots of good things and money, with enough bread stored to last for many years and so many cows, horses and sheep that it would take three days to count them. "Old Man, how did you come by all this?" asked the Old Woman. "You see, I found a tree which can fulfill any wish".

A month passed, and the Old Woman became bored with the good life. So she said to the Old Man: "We are wealthy, but what's the use of it if people do not honour us! The village headman can, if he wishes, send both you and me to work, and if he finds fault with us, he can have us flogged. Go to the tree and ask to be made village headman". The Old Man took his axe, went to the tree and got set to cut it down at its very root. "What do you want?" asked the tree. "Arrange for me to be made a village headman" "I grant that your wish shall be fulfilled"

The Old Man returned home, only to find soldiers waiting for him. "Where have you been, you old devil?" they shouted. "Go and prepare lodgings for us, and make sure they are good. Don't stand there, get busy!" And as they were shouting they kept beating the man on his back with their broad swords. So the Old Woman saw that the village headman, too, was not always honoured and she said: "It is not much good being the village headman's wife! The soldiers have beaten you. It's a different thing being a landowner: he can do whatever he likes. Go to the tree and ask it to make you a landowner and me your lady".

The Old Man took his axe, went to the tree and got set to cut it down. The tree asked him: "What do you want, Old Man?" "Make me a landowner, and my Old Woman