MODERN FABLES, Trustworthy: Chapter 1, Apples

 TRUSTWORTHY

"worthy of confidence: dependable."

If you say you will, you do it. If you say it is, it is true. We can rely on you.

 

                      CHAPTER 1: APPLES

 

“What’s this from a Dr. Gupta, Love?” Mr. Williams asked his wife. “We don’t know anyone by that name.”

 

“It’s a beautiful thank you card and note, addressed to Tess and me. She’s thanking us for our honesty in returning her lost cash. She says we restored her faith in people and brightened her day.”

 

“Wow! That’s quite a compliment. What happened?”

 

“Last Friday afternoon, Tess and I were leaving the building where our dermatologist has his office. As we were getting into the car, Tess saw an envelope by the front tire. It was addressed to the bank down the street and was filled with cash.”

 

“A lot?”

 

“It looked like a lot. At first, we didn’t count it, but we decided we should. There was no question we would try to find who lost it so we could return it.”

 

“I love detective stories,” Mr. W. replied.

 

“We figured it came from one of the offices in the professional building we had just left. Besides our dermatologist, they have a dentist, a lawyer, an accountant, and a few others.”

 

“And?”

 

“We went from office to office, asking whether anyone reported losing an envelope filled with cash.”

 

“How would you know the person was telling the truth?”

 

“I’m coming to that.”

 

“I think it was in the third office that we went into that the receptionist said that they had lost a deposit for the bank, and had looked high and low for it without success. It was a dentist’s office, not our dentist, and I said I wanted to speak with her boss.”

 

“Did you have to wait long?”

 

“Are you kidding? As soon as the dentist heard what we had brought, she stopped her procedure and came to talk with us.”

 

“And?”

 

“I told her we found an envelope filled with cash and wanted to return it to its owner. She said they had lost a deposit. I asked her to describe it to me. She thought for a moment, checked her books, and said it was for $440, with a couple of one-hundred-dollar bills in it. I knew she was right and gave her the envelope, for which she was obviously very thankful.”

 

“Well done. I’m proud of our women!”

 

Tess came in, slightly out of breath for some reason, but that wasn’t unusual.

 

“Tess, we got a lovely thank-you note from that dentist, Dr. Gupta, whose money we returned last Friday.”

 

“That’s nice, Mom. What did she say?”

 

“Not only was she very grateful, but she said that we had made her day and restored her faith in humanity. I guess she thought she’d never see that money again.”

 

“You two are terrific. You are the apple of my eye, Sweetie,” Mr. W. said as he gave Tess a big hug. Then he kissed Mrs. W., adding, “And as they say, ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’”

 

MODERN FABLES - An Educator's FOREWORD

 FOREWORD

 

Connecting on a personal level in a world where children are glued to their electronic devices from a very young age is an arduous task. Connecting personally to share and strengthen the values and virtues commonly considered the foundation of family, school, and community seems at best unpopular and at times almost impossible.

 

Storytelling is a powerful tool for making that elusive connection. And Dr. Cooper’s MODERN FABLES is storytelling that connects people not only to each other but to long-respected though sometimes forgotten virtues: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. 

 

In the image of Aesop’s fables with a modern twist, the fifty-one short stories in MODERN FABLES follow the fictional Williams family through the adventures, conflicts, emotions, and challenges of contemporary life.  Each story introduces a young person facing a decision or taking action.  Although the stories are organized around the twelve Boy Scout Law virtues, the lessons to be learned are not overtly stated but instead are embedded in the story itself. Talking, exploring, and discussing the story, the characters and the message is the storytelling power of MODERN FABLES connecting readers around timeless values.

 

MODERN FABLES is a book to be shared.  Read a chapter aloud as a bedtime story or read a selection together with a pre-teen.  Choose a theme and story that connects with a problem facing a family member or friend. Ask a young reader to choose a selection for themselves to talk about together.  Spark a discussion in a classroom or at a student meeting with a modern fable.  The beauty of the book is its flexibility. Use all of the stories or select those that best resonate with the young people in your life.  Start at the beginning or jump in where the best connection can be made.  From start to finish, MODERN FABLES connects people and values.

 

As a teacher, principal, and co-author of THINKING IT THROUGH:  Coaching Students to Be Problem-Solvers, I’ve helped children and adults learn to use thinking skills to manage the conflicts of everyday life. MODERN FABLES adds a dimension to that work, giving young people the opportunity to see themselves in situations requiring reflection on and understanding of the character frameworks that are also needed, not only to solve problems but to do so in an ethical and moral way. 

 

Connecting people, both young and older, around values in an age that certainly needs them is the gift MODERN FABLES gives to its readers.  

 

 Patricia Cyganovich, Ed.D.

Educator and co-author of THINKING IT THROUGH:  Coaching Students to be Problem-Solvers

MODERN FABLES - Preface Concluded

 The stories you'll read here continue this ancient tradition in a modern American setting. Most are drawn from real experiences, with names and details modified to preserve privacy. They show the same timeless virtues Aesop taught—now lived out by the “Williams” family: Mr. and Mrs. Williams (he's a firefighter, she's a teacher), and their three children—Rick (the eldest, thoughtful and responsible), Tess (middle child, compassionate and observant), and Tim (youngest, curious and energetic). Through their everyday choices—some wise, some foolish—they illustrate timeless virtues in contemporary situations.

 

As I reviewed the stories I had written to illustrate aspects of admirable character, I realized they could be well-organized by using what I had learned as a Boy Scout in Troop 729 in Manhattan c. 1954:

Scout Oath: "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

Scout Law: "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."

The stories could be grouped approximately under the twelve elements of the Scout Law, which is what I have done in organizing this collection.

Merriam-Webster Definitions:

Trustworthy: "worthy of confidence: dependable."

Loyal: "unswerving in allegiance."

Helpful: "of service or assistance: useful."

Friendly: "showing kindly interest and goodwill."

Courteous: "marked by respect for and consideration of others."

Kind: "having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature."

Obedient: "submissive to the restraint or command of authority: willing to obey."

Cheerful: "full of good spirits: merry."

Thrifty: "given to or marked by economy and good management."

Brave: "having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: having or showing courage."

Clean: "free from dirt or pollution."

Reverent: "expressing or characterized by reverence: worshipful."

 

I trust you will find them intriguing and inspiring. You are welcome to contact me if you wish.

 

Sincerely,

Douglas Winslow Cooper, PhD

douglas@tingandi.com

WriteYourBookWithMe.com

Walden, NY

Summer 2026

P. S. The Chinese translation of this is planned to be available in 2026. The translator/author will be Lei Zhang. It should be available from Amazon.com.

 

MODERN FABLES — TABLE OF CONTENTS for All 51 (Updated Weekly)

 

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Welcome.

This Table of Contents page gathers all 51 of my Modern Fables, posted here one each week.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TRUSTWORTHY

CHAPTER 1: APPLES

CHAPTER 2: HONESTLY!

CHAPTER 3: "LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS"

 CHAPTER 4: SNITCH OR NOT?

CHAPTER 5: SOMETHING FISHY

LOYAL

CHAPTER 6: DUKE AND DUCHESS

CHAPTER 7: FRIEND IN NEED

CHAPTER 8: BECKY AND TESS

HELPFUL

CHAPTER 9: BEARLY BACK

CHAPTER 10: MOVING DAY

CHAPTER 11: RUSTY, THE WONDER DOG

CHAPTER 12: THE ALMOST KISS

CHAPTER 13: WORK IS LOVE MADE REAL

FRIENDLY

CHAPTER 14: CELL MATES

CHAPTER 15: SNOW BUSINESS

CHAPTER 16: THE ALMOST DATE

CHAPTER 17: TICKLED PINK

COURTEOUS

CHAPTER 18: "ARE YOU GONNA WEAR THAT?"

CHAPTER 19: DON'T CUT OFF YOUR NOSE

CHAPTER 20: ON TIME OR ELSE

CHAPTER 21: RECITAL

CHAPTER 22: TIMING IS ALMOST EVERYTHING

KIND

CHAPTER 23: DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY

CHAPTER 24: SHE THROWS FREE THROWS

CHAPTER 25: TOO TALL

OBEDIENT

CHAPTER 26: EGGS-ACTLY

CHAPTER 27: FAIR PLAY

CHAPTER 28: MISTAKEN IDENTITY

CHAPTER 29: MOTORCYCLE

CHAPTER 30: TOO FAR

CHEERFUL

CHAPTER 31: PIG IN A POKE

CHAPTER 32: CLOSE BUT NOT QUITE

CHAPTER 33: EATING THE ELEPHANT

CHAPTER 34: THE BIGGER THEY ARE

THRIFTY

CHAPTER 35: FIELD DAY

CHAPTER 36: LENDING WOES

CHAPTER 37: SWIMMING POOL

CHAPTER 38: WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

BRAVE

CHAPTER 39: AMANDA'S LOVE

CHAPTER 40: DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL

CHAPTER 41: FIGHT OR FLIGHT

CHAPTER 42: SNIPE HUNT

CHAPTER 43: HOME OF THE BRAVE

CLEAN

CHAPTER 44: A STITCH IN TIME

CHAPTER 45: FIRE DRILL?

CHAPTER 46: NO SLEEP-OVERS

REVERENT/RESPECTFUL

CHAPTER 47: APPLES AND ORANGES

CHAPTER 48: NEW YORK CITY TRIP

CHAPTER 49: RUNNING UP THE SCORE

CHAPTER 50: MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD

CHAPTER 51: THE HONOR FLIGHT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE COVER

WRITE A REVIEW?

 These are short stories—simple, direct, and meant to illuminate questions of character, judgment, and everyday life. They are inspired by the spirit of Aesop, adapted to modern settings.

Each fable is about 500 words and can be read in just a few minutes.

If a fable speaks to you, you might share it with a friend—or with a child. These stories are meant to be read, reflected upon, and, perhaps, discussed.

A new fable appears each Sunday.

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About the Book

These fables are drawn from my book:

MODERN FABLES: Character Lessons and Life Skills for Success

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Stay With the Series

You can also follow the weekly postings on X (formerly Twitter) and occasional readings on YouTube.

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Thank you for reading.

— Douglas Winslow Cooper, PhD

MODERN FABLES: Dedication and Preface (Excerpt)

                                                   DEDICATION

To a generation currently growing up in “interesting times”--- some stories to help light the way.

In loving memory of my dear wife, Tina Su Cooper— our heroine—who exemplified all these values.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 

Brian Maher inspired this project with his support and input over a decade ago, and it would not have been done without him.

The author has benefited from modern contributions to the writing craft from Grammarly and Anthropic’s Claude AI. However, the stories were originally written over a decade ago without these wonderful assistants.

Before sending the manuscript to the publisher, I solicited and received helpful advice from the following fellow authors. I’ll note one of each of their books for your consideration: Jim Bakun (Financial Success for Newlyweds), Edison Guzman (Frustrated with Life?), Gabi Lanyi (Cheating Memory), Steve Miller (Sell More Books!), Virginia Lohmann Nodhturft (F.W.E. Lohmann, Elizabeth Van Lew’s Civil War Spy).

I also received encouragement, help, or both from some non-authors, including my youngest brother, consulting chemist Dr. Christopher Blair Cooper; my younger son, business exec Phil Chiang, MBA.

PREFACE

A decade or so ago, Brian Maher, a community member and elected official I met at my local Chamber of Commerce, suggested I help him write a book encouraging young people to adopt many of the maxims my generation learned from literature, such as Aesop’s fables.

We worked on it for months, and when his other obligations forced him to stop, I continued. I awaited his agreement to publish, and now I can.

These are “fables,” almost-true stories that make important points. In finishing this work, I was aided by the Anthropic AI called “Claude,” which describes what Aesop did, as follows:

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A fable is a brief narrative designed to teach a moral lesson. Unlike other forms of storytelling, fables are explicitly instructional—each story concludes with a clear principle about how to live well. The best fables achieve something remarkable: they make wisdom memorable by embedding it in concrete situations we can picture and understand.

The most famous fables in Western culture come from Aesop, a storyteller who lived in ancient Greece around 600 BCE. Though scholars debate whether Aesop was a single historical figure or a tradition of multiple storytellers, the "Aesopic" fables have endured for over 2,500 years. Stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare" (slow and steady wins the race), "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" (liars aren't believed even when telling the truth), and "The Ant and the Grasshopper" (prepare for hard times during plenty) remain as relevant today as when first told.

Aesop's fables typically featured animals behaving like humans, which served several purposes. Animal characters made the stories entertaining and non-threatening to listeners. A proud crow or a cunning fox allowed people to examine human flaws without feeling personally attacked. The simplicity of the characters—each animal embodying one or two traits—made the moral lesson crystal clear.

Why do stories work so well as teaching tools? First, stories engage our emotions and imagination in ways that abstract principles cannot. "Be honest" is advice; watching a character suffer consequences for dishonesty creates understanding. Second, stories provide context. We learn not just what to do, but when, why, and how. Third, stories are memorable. People forget lectures but remember narratives. A vivid story stays with us, ready to guide us when we face similar situations in our own lives.

Fourth, and perhaps most important, stories build moral imagination. They let us "try on" different choices and their consequences without real-world risk. Through stories, young people can explore courage, honesty, loyalty, and kindness before facing moments when these virtues will be tested.

The fable tradition recognizes a profound truth: humans are story-shaped creatures. We understand our lives as narratives, not as lists of rules. The most effective moral education, therefore, doesn't just tell people what virtues matter—it shows those virtues in action through characters facing real dilemmas and making choices with real consequences.

This is why fables have survived millennia and crossed cultures. Good stories teaching good values never go out of style.

Resuming Blog in May 2026 - MODERN FABLES: Character Lessons and Life Skills for Success (Cooper, 2026)

 

CHATGPT AND BLOGGING

 To blog or not to blog? That is the question.

Artificial intelligence programs, ChatGPT and its successors, make it very easy to get content for ourselves or to share with others. What is a blog going to be worth?

Price reflects value, and value reflects content and scarcity.

Content is readily available, so much so that its scarcity has decreased abruptly.

Content providers will increase as ease of providing increases.

I have paused adding my blog link to my email and paused blogging.

Here's what ChatGPT has to say about the prospects for blogging:

What are the changes in the prospects for blogging due to programs like ChatGPT?

Programs like ChatGPT, which are large language models powered by artificial intelligence, have the potential to significantly impact the prospects for blogging. Here are a few ways in which this may be the case:

Competition for Attention: With the rise of programs like ChatGPT, there will likely be more competition for attention in the blogging space. As these programs become more sophisticated, they will be able to provide more detailed and nuanced information on a wide range of topics, potentially drawing traffic away from traditional blogs.

Enhancement of Existing Blogs: On the other hand, programs like ChatGPT could also enhance the experience of reading traditional blogs. By using AI to analyze and interpret the content of blog posts, these programs could provide readers with additional context, suggestions for related content, and even personalized recommendations based on the reader's interests.

New Forms of Content: Programs like ChatGPT also have the potential to generate entirely new forms of content that don't exist today. For example, they could be used to automatically generate summaries or highlight key points of longer blog posts, making it easier for readers to quickly get the information they need. Additionally, they could be used to create interactive content that adapts to the reader's responses or preferences.

Increased Accessibility: Finally, programs like ChatGPT could help make blogging more accessible to people who might not have the time, resources, or expertise to create and maintain a blog themselves. By using these programs to automate certain aspects of the blogging process (such as generating headlines or identifying relevant images), people with limited time or resources could still participate in the online conversation and share their ideas with others.

Overall, it's clear that programs like ChatGPT have the potential to significantly impact the world of blogging. While there may be challenges and opportunities associated with this shift, it will be interesting to see how bloggers and readers adapt to the changing landscape of online content.

I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF. ALAS.