A Japanese folktale, retold by Jacob

During the fifteenth century in Japan there was a ruler named Mori Motonari, and he had three sons. The three sons had different character strengths. The oldest son was virtuous. The second son was brave. The third son was wise. One day, their father brought his three sons together and showed them an arrow. He bent it and it easily broke.

He then gathered three arrows together and tried to bend it. The arrows were able to bend but they wouldn't break. Using the arrows, Mori was trying to teach his sons a lesson. He wanted them to learn to cooperate. If the three sons worked together their clan would become strong like the three arrows.

As the three sons worked together they soon conquered a large portion of Western Japan. Later an enemy named Hideyoshi Toyotomi attacked the Mori clan but failed.