49. THE FOUR FOOLISH BRAHMINS
Once upon a time, there lived four Brahmin friends in a village. They were learned persons, but were not satisfied with the knowledge they possessed. So one day, they decided to join some good university in some other part of the country for the sake of learning.
The next day, they travelled to Kanyakubja. There they got admission in the university. They studied at the university for ten long years.
48. THE FOOLISH LION AND THE CLEVER RABBIT
Once upon a time, there lived a big lion in a jungle. Every day he hunted and killed many animals to satisfy his hunger. The animals were worried that one day none of them would be left alive. They all decided to go to the lion and find a solution to this problem.
When the lion saw all the animals approaching, he was very happy as he thought that he would not have to take the trouble to hunt. He could just kill all the animals together once and for all.
One of the animals stopped him and pleaded that he listen to what they had to say first. He went on to explain that as the lion was king of the jungle, and all the other animals were his subjects, the lion would not be a king at all if he killed all his subjects. He would have no one left to rule over.
He suggested that if the lion stayed home, one animal would surrender itself each day as food for the lion. The lion agreed to this offer on the condition that if they ever failed to send him an animal, he would go on a killing spree and finish all of them off. From then on, each day an animal was sent to the lion and the lion was pleased.
One day it was the turn of a little rabbit to sacrifice his life to provide food for the lion. This little one did not want to be the lion’s meal. He thought of a plan that would save his life as well as the lives of all the other animals in the jungle.
The rabbit slowly made his way to the lion’s den. The lion was pacing up and down, extremely hungry. He was furious when all he saw was a little rabbit. He wanted to kill all the animals in a rage. The rabbit timidly explained that the animals had actually sent him six rabbits, but five of them were killed and devoured by another lion.
The lion roared in anger. He wanted to know who this other lion was who dared to steal his food. The rabbit stuttered that it was a very big lion. He had warned the other lion not to eat him as his king would be very angry and definitely come to fight him. The rabbit went on to say that that the other lion had called His Majesty an impostor and had challenged him to prove who was actually the king of the jungle. The lion was furious. He asked the rabbit to take him to the other lion as he wanted to kill him.
The little rabbit led the lion to a well and told him that the other lion was in there. The lion peered into the well and saw his own reflection. He thought it was the other lion. He let out a huge roar which echoed back at him. He immediately jumped into the well to attack what he thought was the other lion. The lion dashed his head against the rocks and drowned.
The jubilant little rabbit returned to other animals to spread the good news.
❖ Intelligence wins over might.
❖ Deceive the wicked and kill them without mercy.
❖ Intelligence is superior to physical strength.
47. THE FOOLISH JACKAL
There lived two big bulls in a village. The village was situated near a thick forest. Once on some issue the bulls began fighting fiercely on the outskirts of the village. They would keep their horns locked with each other for hours together. Then, they would walk back a little and again run into each other dashing their heads together. They engaged themselves in such a fierce fighting that they badly injured themselves and soon blood started oozing from their heads. But they didn’t stop fighting.
46. THE FOOLISH HERON, THE BLACK SNAKE AND THE MONGOOSE
In a jungle there was a huge Banyan tree. A number of herons had built their nests in it. Now in the hollow of the tree lived a black snake. He used to eat up the heron’s young, before their wings had sprouted. One heron, whose children had been eaten by the snake, came to the bank of the river nearby with tears in his eyes. A crab saw him and asked, ‘Uncle! Why are you crying?’
‘What can I do?’ said the heron, ‘I am so unlucky that all my children have been eaten up by the snake, who lives in the hollow of the tree. I’m crying because I am heart-broken. Tell me how could I kill the black snake?
