A true friend is one who shares our joys as well as sorrows. A true friend is the greatest boon of god. Selfish friends can fund anywhere and at any time. They are always prepared to share our joys. But as soon as we are in trouble, they show their backs. Such friends prove the saying-laugh and he the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone.

Moist people of this world are selfish. They care for their own interests only. They come to you when your purse is full. They leave you when you fall on evil days. What is, then, the touch-stone that proves a true friend? It is trouble and adversity. A common saying goes –prosperity attracts friends but adversity tries them.

Two friends lived in a village. They had been friends since their early years. Now they were grown –up boys. Either of them belonged to a very poor family. So, they decided to go to a big town and earn money. They decided to go together. They also promised to help each other in everyway in danger. One morning they set out together for the town. They way lay through a thick forest. It was infested with wild animals. One of them was tall and thin while the other was short and plump. They had not gone very far when they saw a fierce bear. It was rushing towards them. Both of them were afraid. They stood dumb for a while. The beast was drawing beast and answer.

Caring little for his fat friend the thin fellow ran to a tree and climbed it up. The plump fellow felt helpless as he was unable to climb the tree. At once he hit upon a plan. He lay down on the ground and feigned death. This was the only way of safety for him. Soon the bear cane to him. It observed him from every side. It sniffed him time and again. But the boy had held his breathe. So, taking him to be deed, the bear went away and disappeared in to the jungle.

Seeing the danger away, the thin friend got down the tree. He came to his companion and asked him to get up. Both the friends heaved a sigh of relief. The thin friend asked his companion in joke, `what did the bear whisper to you when you were lying on the ground.’ The plump fellow had become aware of his selfishness. This joke pinched him all the more. So, he retorted, `the bear advised me to beware of false friends like you’.

This story shows that, true friends are very rare to find. So, we must be careful while choosing our friends. But we ourselves must be true friends first. We must test ourselves when our friends are in trouble. we must not left them down in sorrow. We must love our friends as we love ourselves. They are our companions and we must help them whenever they need our help.

If we ourselves are true friends, others just cannot dare to deceive us. Only true and people will try to become our friends.