117. THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
Long ago, there lived a wolf in a dense forest. The forest was surrounded by hills and gorges. A small river flowed through it.
Once the wolf was drinking water at the head of a stream, when he saw a lamb drinking water from the same source down at some distance. The cunning wolf began to think of an excuse for attacking the gentle lamb and eating him. So he shouted down at the lamb, “How dare you make the water dirty I am drinking?”
116. THE WOLF AND THE CRANE
Once, there lived a greedy and cunning wolf in a dense forest. One day, while he was having his dinner, a bone got stuck into his throat. He tried hard to take it out, but couldn’t succeed in his effort.
The wolf began whining with pain. The pain was unbearable. The wolf got worried and began thinking, “The pain will subside in due course. But, what will happen if the bone doesn’t come out. I won’t be able to eat anything. I will starve to death.”
115. THE WIND AND THE SUN
Once an argument took place between the wind and the sun as to who was stronger of the two. The wind claimed that he was stronger than the sun, whereas, the sun disagreed saying that he was more powerful than the wind.
Of course, this was a friendly argument, but there seemed to be no end to if. After a marathon discussion, they both came to the conclusion that mere discussion won’t serve any purpose. They, practically, have to do something to prove their point.
Just then, they saw a traveller walking down the road. The sun got a bright idea and said to the wind, “Let’s test our strength on that man. Whosoever of us can force him take off his jacket, shall be considered the winner. Have your chance first.”
114. THE WEDGE PULLING MONKEY
Once some monkeys were sitting in a tree. The tree was at such a placed, where construction of a temple was going on.
A carpenter was sawing a huge log to cut it into two parts.Just then the bell rang for the lunch break. The carpenter pushed a wedge into the split portion of the half sawed log and went to take his lunch, along with other workers.
When the monkeys saw that there was nobody around, they jumped down from the tree and came near the temple. They began to play with the tools lying there. One of the monkeys, who was very curious about all those things, went round the half sawed log. Then sat on top of it. He spread his legs on both sides of the log, whereas his tail dangled through the split portion.
Now the monkey started prying the wedge out of the log with his hands. Suddenly, the wedge came out. The split parts of the log firmly snapped shut together crushing the monkeys tail in between. The monkey cried in pain and jumped off the log, but his tail was cut off for ever.
❖ Look before you leap.
❖ Meddling should be avoided by the intelligent.
❖ One, who interferes in other’s work, surely comes to grief.
