The English story of “The Man in the Well” can be adapted from the Chinese fable “The Man in the Well,” which is a metaphor for narrow-mindedness and limited perspective. Here’s a simplified version of the story in English:
The Man in the Well
Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in a well. The well was deep and narrow, and the man had never left it. He spent his entire life looking out from the top of the well and observing the sky above.
One day, a traveler came by and noticed the man. He asked the man what he saw when he looked up.
“The sky,” the man replied, “it is vast and blue. There are many clouds floating by, and the sun is very bright.”
The traveler was intrigued and asked, “Have you ever seen anything else from here?”
“No,” the man said, “this is all I have ever seen. What else is there to see?”
The traveler smiled and said, “Well, there is much more to the world than what you see from your well. There are mountains, rivers, forests, and many other things.”
The man was skeptical. “How can that be? I have seen the sky and it is beautiful. What more could there be?”
The traveler decided to show the man the world outside the well. He helped the man climb out of the well and onto the ground.
The man’s eyes were opened to a world he had never imagined. He saw tall trees, rolling hills, and a vast ocean. He was amazed at the diversity and beauty of the world around him.
The traveler explained, “The world is much larger and more varied than you thought. It is important to see beyond what you know and to explore the unknown.”
The man thanked the traveler and vowed to explore the world beyond his well. He realized that his narrow view had limited his understanding and that there was so much more to learn and experience.
And so, the man in the well went out into the world, eager to see and learn everything he could.
This story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of limited perspective and the importance of broadening one’s horizons.
