A certain man had several sons who were always quarreling with each other however hard he tried,he could not get them to live together in peace So he determine to convince them of their stupidity in the following way he told them to fetch a bundle of sticks and asked each son in turn to breaking it across his knee all tried and failed then he undid the bundle and gave them the sticks one by one they had on difficulty breaking them there my boys he said united you will have power but if you quarrel and separate you will be weal