Lion asked the fox, if it meant that animals living along side humans have no brain at all. “You said it”, replied the fox and set itself on a journey to the village to meet the donkey.
In the village, when every one had slept off, the donkey was trying to find its food in the streets. Fox met the donkey and greeted.
As it was usual to the donkey, it started listing the listless woes of donkeys as specie. Fox, this time, was not a mute listener.
Fox assured the fox that there was always a way to come out of misery. Fox went on. The humans always exploit animals for their selfish ends. So, it is better to live only among animals. You have such soft grass abundant in the forest. You can enjoy them for free. There are no people in the forest to enslave animals.
Donkey was not that dumb, what fox thought it would be. “I know that, in forests there are several wild animals that would devour us”, observed the donkey. Fox said, “It is merely the rumor created by wicked men to ensure animals do not disappear into forest”. “Am I not meeting you often? Am I not living in the forest? Which wild animal did it devour me?”
Donkey was not fully convinced, as such. Fox, realizing that its plan A did not work with the donkey, pulled out, its plan B. “There is an acute shortage of male donkeys in the forest”. The fox continued. “A hand some donkey, like you, will be entitled for at the minimum, three beautiful and healthy female donkeys in the forest”. “As a package deal, you get free food and no hard labor”. You are one of the good souls. You deserve this and much more. Make a visit once and you will know all by yourself. If you don’t like, the fox assured that, I will reach you back to this village.
Fox set out on a long journey lasting several hours. It was hungry week and tired. The fox explained the donkey about the beautiful life in the forest, all the way.
Finally, the donkey arrived into the dark den. It could not see anything inside. It would take some time before it can see around.
The hungry lion, took a giant leap on the donkey only to miss it by a few inches. The donkey realized that everything is not all right. It ran towards the entry to the den and started walking slowly.
The lion was apologetic.
Fox assured the lion. “After all the donkey has no other place to go. After all it has no or negligible brains (ability to think), like the humans.
It would come along with me even if I cheat hundred times. Okay, let us make a second attempt.
“You know, I have become weak without food. That is how, I missed the target. But now, it needs a little while before I make another attempt on it. I know, you are clever and you would bring, again the brainless beast for a feast”.
“In the intervening time, I will go to the nearby lake drink some water and make myself fresh and strong before I come back. Wait for me till then”. Saying so, the lion vanished into the dense trees near its den towards the lake.
The fox followed the foot prints of the donkey and located it. The donkey was in terribly bad mental and physical state following the long journey to the jungle followed by a socking incident inside the den.
Fox, with a surprise all over its face, demanded to know from the donkey, as what made it run from the den. Donkey said, “A huge object fell close to a place where it stood. I came running to save myself.
The replied, “It is merely his fear and there was no danger to its life”. One of the three
donkeys was waiting to meet you. On seeing you, instantly, it fell in love. In her anxiety she came rushed towards you. When I looked around for you and you were gone”.
Donkey looked at the fox in disbelief. Now the fox decided to play with the sentiments. Fox new sentiments works with humans. So it should work with donkeys too.
“I have a bad news for you”, said the fox. Soon after you left, all the three female donkeys felt that you do not like them at all. So they have decided to commit suicide.
Fox said, “In the forest, we animals fear that the ghosts of such liitfe will haunt you and trouble you throughout your life. “Better, you come back and get married to the three donkeys and lead a royal life”, the fox concluded.
The weak and worn out donkey found no other better solution than to follow the fox.
The fox waited in the den for a while. He saw the fox trembling in fear. Donkeys might have a strong legs and could give a might kick when in normal health. When the donkey is weak, it won’t need a lion to kill it, thought the fox.
Slowly the fox bit the ears of the donkey. The fox guessed it right. That was enough for the donkey to faint.
The fox ate up the donkey’s brain, before the lion reached.
Lion which arrived in the den a little later was shocked and angry to find the donkey’s brain was not there in the place.
The clever fox, reminded the lion the fact that not only the humans but every other specie living in the vicinity of humans also did not have brains!
Lion found, the fox was always right.
Lion gave the lion’s share to its trusted friend and adviser the fox and enjoyed a nice feast.
Epilog:
Now, it is time you evaluate your friends in the circle of your friends. The most cunning and powerful will always feast on weaker in their circle. Figure out the lions, fox and donkeys in your friend-circle.
Theme: Do not befriend
those stronger than you!
Know this:
(1) A few among us declare proudly our friendship with rich persons. Some feels proud in their association with a thug. Some others seek to have friendship with a person holding an official position, a sports man or some one popular.
(2) To see a hero in others we should have reduced ourselves in some way.
(3) Every person whom you seek to make friendship, have grown in their stature by stepping over, people how seek to make friendship with them.
(4) Remember that there were no heroes existed in the past. There are no heroes now and will be no hero’s in future. If they exist, the reason is you feel yourself weak. Reduced yourself in one or more ways and that is the reason you see a hero in some one.
(5) Keep away from people who are known for their Power possessions and positions.
(6) If many people think that a particular person is evil, there should be a reason behind it. Never become friendly with such persons.
(7)Keep away or run away from people who praise you. There are many who make good heir life only through flattery.
(8) World History has proven time and again that any country with a friendly relationship with a stronger country neither could preserve its sovereign existence nor ever prospered.
(9) Small plants do not grow under a big tree.
When you were young a simple story was told to you. Some of you might remember the story. But none of you would have understood the message in the story.
Theme: Do not befriend those who are stronger than you!
Short Story: 03
Monkey’s friend, the Crocodile.
“People who praise you today, will one day bring harm to your life, possession, and position”, said the mother monkey called Shylaa.
The Shylaa continued. “Not everyone talks sweet, agrees with your views and pleases you is a friend. More over, the true friendship and love are illusions. They are creation of our minds. It does not exist in real life. In reality, this is not possible. Those who have realized this will suffer a bit”.
“It is quite possible that more than an enemy, a friend is likely to do you harm”.
“An intelligent person prayed to God - “God, I can presume what harm an enemy can do to me. Therefore I will not be harmed by them and can protect myself. But I do not know what or when my friends will bring harm to me. Therefore, God please protect me from friends.”
The husband of monkey Shylaa who was listening to the speech of his wife realized that this knowledge that was delivered by his wife was meant for him. Even then, he did not bother. Still worst, he was mocking at his wife’s advice.
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You may wonder, what made the mother monkey lecture this to her husband. There was an important development in their lives.
The place where the monkeys lived can be called monkey’s bastion. But, occasionally crocodiles surfaced there.
They ate and enjoyed the black berry fruits that lay on the river banks. The husband monkey on the tree noticed this. He said to the crocodile, “Oh King of the River, do you want more of these fruits?” he asked. The crocodile was delighted to hear this and said, “Yes, I would love some more”. From that day onwards, every day the crocodile came to the bank of the river and the monkey plucked the fruits and threw them down for him.
This marked the beginning of friendship between the monkey and the crocodile. The monkey took great pride in this friendship. The monkey’s wife felt that this new friendship would be harmful for her husband, but he did not bother to listen to her.
Many times the monkey’s wife tried to counsel her husband against this friendship through good advice to her husband, but in vain. She gave him one final warning - “I hope that all my repeated good advice has not gone in vain. A good wife is like a good minister, to save or warn her husband before an evil befalls is her duty. I have done that. I assure you that this new friendship with the crocodile will not bring any good to you. Only time will tell what I said is right. May God help you.”
The crocodile and the monkey continued their friendship for a long time. The monkey continued to give the crocodile the fruits and in turn the crocodile would heap praises on the monkey. Other animals envied this. The crocodile used to take the fruits for his wife and children too.
There will be a turning point in the life of man and his friends. Similarly, it happened to the friendship between the crocodile and the monkey.
After sometime eating the same fruits, the crocodile’s wife started getting bored. She wanted variety. Her evil mind started thinking, “If the fruits given by the monkey were this tasty, how tasty would the monkey be since it had grown up eating these fruits”. She informed her husband about her desire and suggested to her husband that he invite the monkey and the entire family to their place on a full moon night for dinner and then set up a plan to eat them. Though her husband was shocked at this unusual request, he felt that this was a good idea and even praised her, as he wanted to satisfy his wife’s wish.
“But how will the monkey trust our invitation and come boldly to our house?” asked the crocodile.
What is the difference between a human and
a monkey? It’s the tail!
Man gives more importance to his friends. Friendship cards are more in circulation than parents’ day cards.
Friends have become more important than parents, brothers and sisters.
“If you call him “my friend” three times, the monkey would surely fall in your net”, said the crocodile’s wife. Immediately they set about putting their plan into action.
The crocodile informed the monkey about the party and the invitation from his family to the monkey and his family. He explained that it was a thanksgiving party. As the monkey’s wife refused to come, the monkey came down immediately from the tree to accept his friend’s invitation. The monkey disregarded his wife’s warning and jumped on the back of the crocodile and started crossing the river.
The crocodile and monkey had crossed halfway. The crocodile was thrilled that his clever wife’s plan had worked. Now that they were in water, he felt that the monkey was trapped with no chance of escape. The crocodile slowly told the monkey about his wife’s desire to eat him and his family.
After the initial shock on listening to this, the monkey recovered. He thought how foolish he had been neglecting his wife’s warning! He thought of a way to escape.
He said to the crocodile, “Hey, crocodile! You are about to commit a grave mistake. You are aware that the heart is the sweetest part of the monkey, but don’t you know that the monkeys usually remove them and hang them on the tree in the morning till they retire for the day?
If you had informed me earlier, I would have placed back my heart and come. Wouldn’t I do this for my friend?”
The crocodile was reflecting on this.
The monkey was persistent. He said, “O’ king of the river, don’t you know that the river queen will be angry if you brought me without my heart?”
The crocodile had no other choice but to trust his friend. He brought the monkey back to its tree. The monkey relieved of the trauma promised to bring his heart back with him. That was the last time he ever spoke to the crocodile.
The poor crocodile waited for a long time and left home tired and frightened wondering how his wife would react for missing the meal.
Theme: Feeling Inferior is foolishness.
Know this:
(1) Day-in and day-out, we are being exploited by several people around us by making us feel interior.
(2) How much of fairness cream would turn a crow into a dove?
(3) Without exception, some times you and even I exploit, without being conscious of it.
(4) If someone deceives you, we are more to be blamed than those who deceive you.
(5) It is important to know that no one is superior to others all the time and in every situation.
(6) Equally so, every one is inferior to some one, somewhere, in some occasion.
(7) We can safely conclude no one is superior or inferior to any one else, all the time. So no one needs to feel inferior.
A simple story was told for ages to drive home this simple phenomenon. But most of us did not absorb the message. The consequences are many. Hurt feelings, lost money and so on.
Theme: Feeling Inferior is foolish.
Short story: 04.
FOOLISH CROW AND THE GREEDY FOX
This story has two versions - one an old story and the second its new form.
First, let me give a small description about our old times because children of todays may not appreciate the story without it.
In the villages of those days there was no electricity in use. Roads were not concrete or tar-topped. There were no cars or buses. A simple situation to imagine is that, in Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, people used to come in tourist buses to see the LIC building on Mount road and admired. The 14 story building, in those days was a great engineering accomplishment. The tallest structure in some 1000 Kilometer area around it!
Some 40 years ago, you may spot one or two cars in the district headquarters.
Now let us turn to the older version of the story.
STORY OF THE CROW (Old version).
This is in that period of civilization when humans used to walk many miles along with their cattle.
One thing that has not changed over the years is the fast-food joints!
Under a large tree, an old lady ran a “fast food” joint selling vadai. She did the job of cooking, distributing, cleaning, collection and security with great enthusiasm.
Customers would be waiting for their turn to have food while the aroma of food would waft over a large area. The crow and the fox would wait for the right opportunity at a distance to grab their pick.
The crow waited for the old lady to doze off and took this opportunity to grab a vadai. The lady woke and threw the long stick she kept near her. But the crow flew to the trees, unhurt.
It settled down on the branch. When it was about to enjoy the meal; it realized that a fox was looking at it, sitting right below, on the ground.
The fox addressed the crow saying, “Brother Crow, do you remember me? I am your diehard fan”. Now the crow was in a dilemma whether to eat or speak to the fox. “No”, said the crow. “Why don’t you open your mouth and say so,” said the fox. Some how the fox wanted the crow to open its mouth so that the vadai would fall down and he could pick it.
The cunning fox was just waiting to eat the vadai. The crow looked around and hooked the vadai on one of the branches of the tree. Then looking down, he asked the fox what it wanted. He asked, “Shall I
sing a song which you can listen to and go?” Realizing that his plan did not work, the fox took to his heels and disappeared.
A baby crow watched this scenario and was confused. The father crow explained it as below.
I have heard stories of our ancestors. They like the present day humans, due to their low esteem, often became a prey, resulting in loss of possessions and their rights. Except for humans, no other creatures on earth have the complex of “high and low” among themselves.
Not everyone considers one high or low in status every time and all occasions. Occasionally, at some point of time, the person might become rich. Everybody during their lifetime, at times may become low in their status. Therefore, it would be wrong to consider putting down or praise the person. We need not become a slave if we understand this basic concept.
There are people who will create low self- esteem in us and enslave us. Without outside help, there are those who create low-self esteem among them. They are enslaved and exploited by others. Not only among humans, have even crows suffered from low self-esteem syndrome!
The present generation crows have come intelligent! The fox did not realize that it was difficult to outsmart those who are intelligent.