Count Yourself

Ten students studied together and all of them one day have gone to attend a function in the neighborhood village. They crossed a river by foot when they went but when they were returning, in the middle of the river flash floods came and with great difficulty they managed to reach the shore.
In the riverbed after relaxing for some time the leader of the group wanted to make sure that all the ten were there in the group and no one was washed away. He made a quick count of all but found that only nine were there. He was shell- shocked.
He asked all of them to line-up before him and counted by touching each one and still the number came up only to nine. So, yet another student offered to re-check and he changed position with the leader and did the counting the same way the leader did. He also got only nine in front of him.
Now, the matter is confirmed. Tragedy has struck them. The tenth man is missing. One of their colleagues is not there. So, they sat down there and were crying aloud grief-stricken.

A wise man was passing that way. Taking pity on them he asked them what was the problem. Sobbing uncontrollably they narrated the whole story. The wise man understood the problem! First, he said to them that they have no cause for worry. Encouraged by his words, they took refuge in that wise man.
He made them stand in a line and asked the leader to count each one. The leader did so and counted all his friends and the figure came to nine. At this point the wise man intervened and told the leader that the one who counted the nine students, that is, the leader himself was the tenth man. Oh! so, all were safe. There was joy and happiness all around and they thanked the wise man who has solved their problem.
Moral: Count yourself in, while counting others. You are always included in a team even if you are a leader. Leader is the first team member.
 
Count Yourself – Philosophical Kids Stories