MORAL:Wit is superior to brute force.There is noting that a trick cannot achieve.He who is wise is stronger than the strong.

1. The Crafty Crane and The Craftier Crab

Once upon a time an old crane lived near a lake. Because of age, he was not able to prey on fish and other insects. So one dat the crane played a trick to arrange his meal. He stood on the edge of the lake and began crying pitiably.  Moved at the sight, a crab passing by asked the crane: “Friend, what is the matter? Why are you not hunting for food today?”

 “What shall I tell you? I have heard that there will be no rains for the coming twelve years. I am now worried about the fate waiting for these poor fish and other creatures in the lake.”

The worried crab asked the crane to suggest some solution for their problem. The crane said that fish and other water creatures in other lakes are migrating to bigger lakes with the help of their relatives.

The crab carried this information to all the fish and other water creatures in the lake. Alarmed, all of them came to the crane and pleaded with him to show them the way to overcome this danger.

“Why not. There is a big lake not far from here that has plenty of water throughout the year. I can carry all of you one by one to that lake.”

The poor fish and other water creatures at once put all the trust in the crane and agreed to be ferried.  Every day, the crane would take one of them at a time to a lonely place, smash them against a stone and eat them. He would return to the lake and repeat the trick every day.

Then came the turn of the crab. He mounted on the back of the crane and as the crane was flying close to the spot where he ate all the fish, the crab saw a heap of fish bones and asked the crane where tha lake is. “You are a fool to trust me. There is no lake. Nor is there water. Say your prayers now; I am going to kill you”, said the crane. The crafty crab at once caught the neck of the crane in his claws and tore through it to death. Slowly, carrying the crane's neck, the crab reached the lake where all his friends lived . He then told them about the cunningness of the crane and how he saved his life . After that all of them lived happily without fear.

2. The Crow and The Cobra

Two crows, husband and wife, lived on a tree. Every time, the wife hatched the eggs, a cobra would come and feast on the offspring. The couple asked a jackal who was their friend to show them the way. The jackal told the crow not to despair for there is noting that a trick cannot achieve. The jackal told them to go to a big city and snatch any item of jewellery from a palace and drop it in the hollow of the tree that is the cobra's home.  In search of the jewellery, the king's men would reach the tree and kill the cobra.

The crow couple flew off to a lake where the queen and her maids were bathing in water. Before entering water, the women left their jewellery and clothes on the waterside. The female crow skillfully dived and snatched a gold necklace and began slowly flying towards the cobra's hideout. The king's men who saw the crow fly off with the necklace followed the female crow and saw it dropping the necklace into the hollow of the tree. They ran to the tree and pulling it out killed the cobra.

3. The Clever Hare and The Witless Lion

Once upon a time there lived a cruel lion in the forest who killed the forest animals indiscriminately. Seeing this, the animals gathered and decided to approach the lion with the offer of one animal of each species volunteering itself to be eaten by the lion everyday. So every day it was the turn of one of the animals to be the prey of lion. And in the end came the rabbits' turn. The rabbits chose a old rabbit among them. The rabbit was wise and old. It took its own sweet time to go to the Lion. The Lion was getting impatient on not seeing any animal come by and swore to kill all animals the next day.

The rabbit then reached  the Lion by sunset. The Lion was angry at him. But the wise rabbit was calm and slowly told the Lion that it was not his fault. He told the Lion that a group of rabbits were coming to him for the day when on the way, an angry Lion attacked them all and ate all rabbits . Somehow he escaped to reach safely, the rabbit said. He said that the other Lion was challenging the supremacy of his Lordship ,the Lion. The Lion was naturally very enraged and asked to be taken to the location of the other Lion.

The wise rabbit agreed and led the Lion towards a deep well filled with water. Then he showed the Lion his reflection in the water of the well. The Lion was furious and started growling and naturally its image in the water, the other Lion, was also equally angry. Then the Lion jumped into the water  to attack the other Lion, and so lost his life in the well. Thus the wise rabbit saved the forest and its inhabitants from the proud Lion.

 

              Panchatantra Stories               

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