MORAL : If you have a strategy, you must also know what the strategy would lead to.

 

 1.The Foolish Crane and The Mongoose

A big banyan tree was home to a number of cranes in a forest. In the hollow of that tree lived a cobra who used to feed on the young cranes which did not yet learn to fly. When the mother crane saw the cobra killing her offspring, she began crying. Seeing the sorrowing crane, a crab asked her what made her cry.

The crane told the crab, “ Every day, the cobra living in this tree is killing my children. I am not able to contain my grief. Please show me some way to get rid of this cobra. ”

The crab then thought, “ These cranes are our born enemies. I shall give her advice that is misleading and suicidal. That will see the end of all these cranes. Elders have always said that if you want to wipe out your enemy your words should be soft like butter and your heart like a stone. "

Then the crab told the crane, “ Uncle, strew pieces of meat from the mongoose's burrow to the hollow of the cobra. The mongoose will follow the trail of meat to the cobra burrow and will kill it.”

The crane did as the crab advised her. The mongoose came following the meat trail and killed not only the cobra but also all the cranes on the tree.

2. 1000-pound scale for rat lunch

 Jeernadhana was the son of a rich merchant. But he had lost all his wealth. He thought he should go abroad to seek his fortune. So he mortgaged with a local merchant the 1000-pound balance his ancestors had left behind and he went abroad with the money the merchant gave him. 

After several years he came back and asked the merchant to return him the balance. The merchant told him that the rats have chewed at it for food.

Jeernadhana replied without emotion, “ I cannot blame you for what the rats have done. The world is like that. Nothing really is permanent. Any way, I am going to the river to take bath. Please send with me your son to look after my needs.”

Afraid that Jeernadeva would accuse him of theft, the merchant called his son and told him, “Son, your uncle is going to the river for a bath. You accompany him taking with you all the things he needs to take his bath. The merchant's son followed Jeernadeva to the river. After taking bath, he led the boy into a nearby cave and, pushing the boy inside, closed it with a huge stone. When Jeernadeva returned from the river, the merchant asked him about his son.  Jeernadeva told him, “ A kite has carried away your boy. There was nothing I could do. ”

“ You cheat, is this possible? How can a kite carry away a boy?  Bring my boy back. Otherwise, I will go to the king and complain. ”

“ Yes, just as a kite cannot carry away a boy, rats also cannot eat away heavy iron balance. If you want your son, give me back my balance,” said Jeernadeva.

Both of them took the dispute to the king's court. The merchant complained to the judges that Jeernadeva had kidnapped his child. The judges ordered him to return the boy to the merchant. Jeernadeva told the judges the entire story. Thereupon, the judges ordered Jeernadeva to return the boy and the merchant to give back the  balance to Jeernadeva.

              Panchatantra Stories               

 

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