On a farm where the sun always seemed to shine a little brighter, lived a farmer with a kind smile and a long, flowing beard. He had three sons, who were strong and hardworking, but oh, they loved to argue! They argued about whose turn it was to feed the chickens, or who was better at climbing the big oak tree, or even who could eat the most apple pie at dinner!

The farmer, whose back was getting a bit creaky with age, worried about his sons. "If they keep bickering like this," he thought, scratching his chin, "they'll never get anything done properly when I'm not around."

One sunny afternoon, he called his sons to the porch. "Boys," he said, his voice gentle but firm, "I have a little task for you." He showed them a big bundle of sticks, all tied up tight with a strong rope. "I want to see which one of you is strong enough to break this bundle in half."

The eldest son, who thought he was the strongest, grabbed the bundle. He pulled! He twisted! He even tried to bend it over his knee. But the bundle didn't even wiggle. He huffed and puffed and gave up, his face a little red.

Next, the middle son stepped up. He grunted and groaned, using all his might. He tried a different angle, pushing and pulling. But the bundle of sticks stayed as solid as a rock.

Then, the youngest son had a go. He was quick and clever, but even he couldn't make the bundle snap. He wiggled it, shook it, and finally sat down with a sigh. "It's too strong, Father," he said.

The farmer smiled. He calmly untied the rope, and the sticks fell loosely to the porch. He handed one single, slender stick to each of his sons. "Now," he said, "try to break these."

Snap! Crack! Pop! Each son easily broke his single stick in two. They looked at each other, a little puzzled.

The farmer’s smile grew wider. "Do you see, my sons?" he asked. "When you are all together, united like that bundle of sticks, you are strong. No one can easily break you or cause you trouble. But if you are divided, arguing and fighting amongst yourselves, you are like these single sticks – easy to snap, one by one."

The three sons looked at the broken sticks in their hands, and then at each other. For the first time in a long while, they weren't arguing. They understood.

From that day on, they tried much harder to work together and help each other. And you know what? The farm ran smoother, the chores got done faster, and there was even more time for apple pie – which they learned to share much more happily.

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