This story is an old Japanese folk tale that is over 150 years old. It's a story about a man's search for greatness and how he discovers something he would never have thought possible.
This story can be used to stimulate discussions about gratitude and self worth. After the story consider discussing the following questions:
1) If you could choose to be anybody or anything else in the world who/what would you choose and why?
2) If somebody else chose to be you instead of themselves what would they gain?
3) What would you consider your greatest attribute?
4) What do we recognise as 'greatness; in ourselves and others?