Month: June 2017

Vanity leads to misfortune


One day a crow sat on a tree with a piece of flesh in her beak. At that time a fox came out of the jungle and stood beneath that tree. As he looked up he saw the crow with a bit of flesh in her beak and thought of having it.


 But how? He at once planned to play a trick. He said, “How beautiful the crow is! How glossy her feathers are! But alas! God has not given her the voice to speak. He proves his cruelty in this respect.” 


The crow at the high branch heard everything and was flattered by the admiration. To prove that he had a sweet voice he at once gave a loud caw. 


At once the flesh dropped from its beak and without delay, the fox picked it up and went away saying, “The proud bird, had you been half as wise as you are proud, you would not have to lose the flesh.”


 Moral: Vanity leads to misfortune.

Never neglect little things.

A farmer saddled his horse to carry his articles to market for sale. At the time of starting, he noticed that there were no nails in one of the horse’s shoes. But he neglected the matter considering it unimportant.

After he had gone a little far the shoe was removed from the horse’s hoof. The farmer thought that the horse would by any means reach the market with the remaining three shoes. But as he rode on the back of the horse to proceed further, the animal began to limp on the ground.

The farmer now realised his mistake — but there was not a single blacksmith’s shop nearby. So he proceeded and hoped that the animal could carry him up to marketplace somehow. But alas — his idea was wrong.

The poor animal soon broke its legs and fell down. As a result, all his articles were broken and at the same time, he lost his horse forever as he neglected to nail the shoe in time.

 Moral: Do not neglect little things.

Ungrateful travelers

 A few travellers, tired by a long walk in the sun, sat under a banyan tree for some rest. They were talking among themselves regarding various topics.

 One of the men, in the meantime, looked up at the branches overhead and remarked. “You see, this tree is so big and has a good cluster of leaves but it cannot produce either the flowers to satisfy the eyes and smell or sweet fruits to please the taste.” 

After his remarks another traveller said, “Why to speak of flowers and fruits only — it is by any means of no use to mankind. So it should not remain in existence. 


The tree overheard the conversation and said with a smile. “This is the gratefulness indeed. The extended shadow and the cool breeze under which you are taking rest are nothing to you but mere illusion only—is it not?” 

The remark of the tree pierced the hearts of the travellers and they hung down their heads in shame.


 Moral: Ungratefulness is the great shame to the humanity.


Selfishness

Once a dog and a donkey with a basket of bread were travelling together. After they had gone a long distance they felt hungry. 

The donkey began to eat the grass that grew by the road side. The dog had nothing to eat. So he prayed to the donkey to give him a piece of bread.

 But the donkey refused to grant it. After some time a wolf was seen to come towards them. The donkey began to tremble in fear and prayed to the dog to stand by him. 

This time the dog refused and said, “He who eats alone must fight alone.” Saying this the dog went away and at once the wolf jumped on the donkey and ate him up tearing into pieces.

Moral: Everyone hates a selfish person.