Category Archives: PANCHATANTRA TALES
74. THE KING COBRA AND THE ANTS
There lived a big king cobra in a dense forest. As usual, he fed on birds’ eggs, lizards, frogs and other small creatures. The whole night he hunted the small creatures and when the day broke, he went into his hole to sleep. Gradually, he became fat. And his fat grew to such a measure that it became difficult for him to enter and come out of his hole without being scratched.
Ultimately, he decided to abandon his hole and selected a huge tree for his new home. But there was an ant hill at the root of the tree. It was impossible for king cobra to put up with the ants. So, he went to the ant hill and said, “I’m King Cobra, the king of this forest. I order all of you to go from this place and live somewhere else.”
There were other animals, too, around. They began trembling with fear to see such a huge snake before them. They ran for their lives. But the ants paid no heed to his threats. Thousands of ants streamed out of the ant hill. Soon they were swarming all over the body of the king cobra, stinging and biting him. Thousands of thorny pricks all over his body caused unbearable pain to him. The king cobra tried to keep the ants away, but in vain. He wriggled in pain and at last, died a painful death.
❖ Even the strong and mighty cannot face the small ones, when in a large number, at a time.
73. THE KING AND THE PARROTS
Once a tribal king went to a jungle to hunt for birds. While hunting, he caught two parrots in his net. He was happy to catch the parrots as he could teach them to talk and then let his children play with the talking parrots.
But while the tribal king was returning home with his two parrots, one of the parrots escaped from the net and flew away. The tribal king chased the parrot, but the parrot disappeared in the sky.
The tribal king brought the other parrot home and taught it to speak like him. Soon the parrot learnt to talk like a tribal man.
The other parrot which had managed to escape, was caught by a sage. The sage liked the parrot and taught him to recite holy hymns.
The sage lived at one end of the jungle, while the tribal king lived at the other end.
One day, a king of a nearby kingdom came in the jungle riding on his horse back. When he approached the tribal king’s house the tribal king’s parrot shouted from inside the cage hanging outside the house, “Here comes someone. Catch this fellow and beat him thoroughly.”
The king hearing the parrot speak in such a filthy manner, left that place and reached the other end of the jungle where the sage lived. The sage’s parrot was also kept in a cage, which was hanging outside the sage’s cottage.
As soon as the parrot saw the king approaching the cottage it said, “Welcome! Please come in and have a seat. What can I do for you? Have a glass of water. Eat some sweets.”
After having welcomed him properly with all the etiquettes, the parrot called his master, “Guruji, here comes a guest on his horseback. Take him inside and offer him a seat. Serve him food.”
The king was highly impressed with this intelligent talking parrot. He was quick to understand that good environment and training always yield a better result.
The tribal king’s parrot spoke rudely, while the sage’s parrot greeted him in a polite tone.
❖ A man is known by the company he keeps.
72. THE KING AND THE FOOLISH MONKEY
A certain king had a pet monkey. He was allowed to enter the king’s palace, even when other confidential servants were forbidden to. One day the king was fast asleep and the monkey was fanning him. Suddenly, a fly came and sat on the king’s chest.
The monkey drove her away with the fan, but the fly kept coming back to the same place. The foolish monkey got excited, picked up a sword and hit at the fly with it. The fly flew away but the king was severely wounded in the chest and died as a result.
❖ Beware of a foolish friend. He can cause you more harm than your enemy.
❖ It is better to have a clever enemy than a foolish friend.
71. THE JEALOUS DONKEY
Once upon a time, there lived a dhobi in a village. He had a donkey and a dog as his pets. The dog guarded his master’s house and accompanied him wherever he went. The donkey used to carry the load of clothes. The dhobi loved his dog very much. And the dog, whenever, he saw his master, would bark a little and wag his tail. He would raise his front legs and put them on the chest of his master. And the dhobi would pat his dog in return, for his loving gesture.
