When I was a boy I loved going to the circus. I liked all the animals, but the elephant was the best. It was enormous and strong, but after the show the elephant was held only by a single chain attached to one of its feet. The chain was tied to a small stake; just a tiny bit of wood buried in a few centimetres of earth. Although the chain was thick and strong, it was obvious that the elephant could easily pull the stake out and escape.

What was keeping it there? Why didn't it run away?

When I was five or six, I asked my teachers and my parents about the mystery of the elephant. One of them explained that the elephant didn't escape because it was trained.

So, I asked the obvious question:

“If it's trained, why do they chain it up?“

I don't remember receiving a good answer.

A few years ago, I discovered that someone had found a good answer: the circus elephant didn't escape because it had been chained to a similar stake since it was very, very small.

I closed my eyes and imagined the baby elephant tied to the stake. It pushed and pulled to try and get free, but it couldn't. The little elephant became exhausted and went to sleep. It tried the same thing every day until one day it accepted its impotence and stopped trying.

The enormous, powerful elephant at the circus doesn't escape because it thinks it CAN'T escape. It remembers the impotence it felt when it was a baby, and it never questions it.

Life is like that. We all think there are many things we can't do, simply because once, a long time ago, when we were little, we tried and we couldn't do them.

We did the same as the elephant, we decided: “I CAN'T DO IT AND I NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT!“

Version of Indian parable, Dr. Jorge Bucay (adaptation)

• • Do you think the elephant and the other circus animals were happy? Why or why not?

• • If the elephant could pull the stake out, why didn't it do it?

• • Have you ever had to convince yourself that you could do something you thought you couldn't do?

There are some things in your life that you can't control, such as who your parents are, where you were born or if you are tall or short. Other things, like your name, your school and the food you eat, are chosen by your parents or your teachers.

However, this doesn't mean you are not free to choose. You have ideas that are yours only. You can make decisions for yourself. For example, you can decide things like whether to read one book or another, ride your bike, or go out with your friends.

These decisions are important because they help to build your personality. You learn to adapt to your limits and possibilities, control your desires and choose the best ways to act.

Being free doesn't mean you can do anything you want. You have to respect the rights of others and the basic rules of living together. For example, you can't always tell younger children what to do just because you are older.

However, freedom is very important. It is a right that all human beings have and, in Spain, it is protected by law. There is freedom of thought, of speech, of expression, of movement, of religion, etc.

Because we live in a free country, you can think what you like. However, you must respect the opinions of others. For example, freedom of expression does not mean you can make comments to others that are harmful, racist, sexist, or that contribute to discrimination or bullying. This is especially important in class and on social networks.

We do not think or live alone. Make sure you share your ideas respectfully to help develop freedom.

1. Would it be possible to live together if everybody did whatever they wanted or argued all the time?

2. Write a short story with the following beginning: “One day the world stopped. Everything became still, except me; I could move freely…“.

There is a big difference between doing something on purpose and doing it without meaning to. When you do something on purpose, it means you thought about how to act. When you do something without meaning to, it happens by accident.

If you do something on purpose, you are responsible for it. You must admit it and say sorry. You should also learn from your actions to avoid repeating them in the future.

It is similar when you make a mistake. You must admit to your mistake and say sorry, even if you didn't do it on purpose. However, it will be easier for other people to forgive you because it was an accident. In this case, you should to learn to pay more attention.

Everybody makes mistakes, but it is important to try to make things right. Asking for forgiveness and forgiving are two special characteristics of human beings.

1. Name some things you might do on purpose and some things you might do without meaning to. Explain the difference between the different types of actions.

2. Do you find it difficult to say sorry? Why?

3. On a piece of paper, write the name of someone you think you should say sorry to. Fold it and keep it safe so you can think when and how to do it.

Love freedom

There are some things you can choose and some you can't. Your decisions and choices form your personality.

You must make sure that you use your freedom to improve yourself and people around you. If your decisions harm others, you must apologise and try to make the situation better. It is better for everybody if we think about others before acting.

There is a big difference between doing something bad on purpose and doing it without meaning to. In the first case, you freely decided to cause harm. In the second case, you cause harm without knowing it, you do it accidentally.

You have to say sorry in both situations. However, saying sorry does not free you from responsibility if you did it on purpose.

1. Read the following thoughts on freedom. What is the common idea?

a) “Freedom is the essence of life.“ (José Martí)
b) “Freedom is being the master of your own life“. (Plato)
c) “There is no freedom, only the search for freedom. It is this search that makes us free.“ (Carlos Fuentes)

2. Copy the sentences you think are correct:

a) Freedom consists of doing anything we like.
b) If we do something bad without meaning to, we don't have to apologise.
c) We are only partly free.
d) We are never even a little bit free.
e) Our freedom has to be compatible with that of others.

3. Invent another sentence about freedom. On a piece of card, write your sentence with the sentences of all your classmates, and put it up on the wall.

4. In pairs, make a list of five wishes that are not material. Discuss with your class which of them would make you happiest.