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Articles: Moral Stories | Panchatantra stories
- Mr. Siri Siri
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THE CROW AND THE COBRA
There was a very big Banyan tree at a place. A pair of crows lived on that tree. Sometime later, a black cobra too began to live in the hollow at the base of the trunk of that Banyan tree. The cobra used to devour all the eggs that the female crow laid. This made the crows very sad.
The crow went to his friend jackal along with his wife and narrated to him about his woes. He also sought his advice on the means of getting rid of the menace caused by the cobra.
The jackal mentioned the story of a greedy crane that used to devour all types of fish in a pond. Because of its excessive greed, the crane was ultimately killed by a crab.
Both the crows asked curiously- 'How did the crab kill the crane?'
The Jackal then narrated the following story-
THE CRANE AND THE CRAB
In a forest, there was a lake. Many animals used to gather around the lake to drink water from it. A crane too lived there but because of old age was unable to catch its prey.
Once the crane was very hungry. It was weeping, standing at the bank of the lake.
Seeing him weep, a crab asked him why was he weeping. The crane deceitfully replied-
'Son, I have attained asceticism to atone for my sins which I acquired because of devouring fish from this lake. Now, I have taken a vow to end my life observing a fast unto death. This is the reason why I do not hunt fish even when I get the opportunity.'
The crab asked him-
'What is the reason for your asceticism?'
The crane replied that he was attached to the lake and all the creatures living in it. 'I have grown up near this lake. I have played with the creatures living in this lake. But I have come to know from the astrologers that it will not rain for the next twelve years. If this really happens, this lake will dry up. This thought has made me an ascetic because I cannot bear to see others in pain. So I have decided to end my life.'
When the fish saw the crane narrating the story to crab, they all swarmed at the bank. When they learnt about the astrologer's forecast, a fear gripped them all. They asked the crane the way to escape from this imminent danger.
The crane said -
'At a little distance from this lake, there is a very big reservoir, which has so much of water that will not dry up even if it does not rain for twenty four years. All the creatures from the surrounding lakes are making their way to that reservoir. You all too must go to that reservoir.'
Hearing this, all the fish expressed their inability to reach that reservoir- 'How can we reach that reservoir when we cannot walk?'
The crane then assured to help them. He said: 'I will carry all of you on my back one by one to that reservoir.'
The crane then carried a fish on his back to an isolated place and perching on a rock smashed it to death before eating it. One by one, the crane cunningly took the fish from the lake and had its fill. This continued for many days.
One day the crab said to the crane-
'How cruel of you! I was the first to take up this serious matter with you but until now, you have not paid any attention to me. Today, you should help me reach that reservoir.'
The crane was fed up with the monotonous taste of the fish, so when he heard crab's desire, he became happy. He thought that it would be a nice change of taste. He therefore carried the crab on his back and flew towards the rock.
When the crab saw the bones of the fish scattered all around the rock, he grew suspicious but did not show his fear and asked-
'How far is the reservoir from here?'
At this crane replied -
'Do you see this rock? This is the reservoir! Now you too will meet the same fate as the fish.'
As soon as the crane perched on the rock, the crab got hold of the crane's neck and strangled it. The crow, which was listening to the story very attentively, asked the jackal-
'Tell me! How can I kill that cruel cobra?'
The jackal instructed the crow to steal a golden chain of the queen and drop it in the hole where the cobra lived.
'This will solve your problem', the jackal said.
The crow flew away in search of the golden chain. The crow saw some women of the royal family who were taking bath in a lake. They had removed their clothes and ornaments and kept them on the shore. The crow descended there and with no efforts found the golden chain of the queen. The crow picked the chain in his beak and flew away. The eunuchs who were guarding the clothes and ornaments saw the crow flying away with the golden chain. They at once informed the soldiers about this event. The soldiers followed the crow right up to the tree.
The crow dropped the golden chain in the hole and sat at a distance waiting for the outcome of its action. Very soon, the soldiers too arrived there and tried to retrieve the chain but saw the cobra curling up there. The soldiers at once poked the cobra with their lances to death and retrieved the golden chain. Since then, the crow lived on the tree happily with his family.
Completing his story, Damanak said- 'Only an intelligent man has the strength and on the other hand, a dull person has no strength. For this reason, a lion, which was very much proud of its strength was killed by a small hare.'
Kartak curiously asked-
'How did this happen?'
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