What lessons are to be learned from this story?

There were once two brothers who lived in an orphanage. Their parents had died in a fire. Big brother knew that when they became adults they'd be turned out of the orphanage and out on the street; so, with what he saw as the best intentions, he would rough little brother up and call him names. This was to toughen him up to face what he called "the big, bad world out there".

But little brother did

not understand this. Big brother had never explained it. Big brother, when not beating him up or taunting him, would ignore little brother. He would go hang out with what friends he had in the orphanage, assuming little brother did the same.

But little brother had no friends. He had learned the lesson big brother sought to teach him all too well; he knew he couldn't trust anyone. So he would keep to himself, then eventually go wait for big brother in their room. That is all he knew to do.

One day big brother started to think, "perhaps I have been a little too rough with little brother. I will talk to him."

So he went to their room, where little brother was waiting, and said to him, "You know I love you, right?"

Little brother was caught off guard. He had never heard those words in his life. So he looked big brother right in the eyes, with a tear falling down his face, and said, "no".