The Lion And The Foolish Donkey
Once there was a mighty lion named Karalakesara, who roamed the jungle with his loyal attendant, a cunning jackal. They shared a bond that had brought them much success in hunting together. But one day, the lion was severely injured in a fierce battle with an elephant. Unable to walk or hunt properly, he was left weakened and starving. The jackal, too, had nothing to eat as his survival depended on the lion’s hunting.
Days passed, and the jackal, growing weaker, said, “Master, I am too weak to serve you. I haven’t eaten in days.”
The lion replied, “My friend, find an animal that I can kill even in my current condition. If you don’t, we will both starve.”
Determined to save them both, the jackal set off in search of easy prey. After wandering through the jungle, he reached the outskirts of a village and spotted a donkey grazing on some grass near the jungle’s edge.
The jackal greeted the donkey warmly, “Hello, uncle! You look thin and tired. What has happened to you?”
The donkey replied, “I have a cruel master. He forces me to carry heavy loads all day and gives me hardly any food. I came here to graze, even though I know it’s dangerous.”
The jackal, seeing an opportunity, said, “Uncle, you don’t have to live like that. My master protects all the animals deep in the jungle, far from the cruelty of humans. There are lush green grasses there where you can live peacefully without fear.”
Tempted by the jackal’s words, the donkey agreed to follow him to this supposed paradise. When they reached the lion’s cave, the lion, delighted to see easy prey, leapt to attack the donkey. But the lion, still too weak, misjudged his strength and missed the donkey entirely, falling to the ground.
Terrified, the donkey fled as fast as he could, disappearing into the jungle. The lion, embarrassed and angry, lay on the ground, humiliated. The jackal shook his head and said, “Even a donkey escapes you now! Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back, but this time, wait until he’s closer. You’re too weak to pounce from afar.”
The jackal ran after the donkey, and, knowing the shortcuts of the jungle, quickly caught up. The donkey, still shaken, said, “What kind of place did you take me to? That beast almost killed me! What animal was that?”
The jackal, quick on his feet, replied, “Oh, uncle, you misunderstood! That wasn’t an attack; it was a female donkey who was so excited to see you. She hasn’t seen a male donkey in years, and in her eagerness, she jumped on you.”
The donkey, fooled once again by the jackal, nodded in agreement. “If it had been a lion or a tiger,” the jackal continued, “you wouldn’t have been able to escape, would you?”
Convinced, the donkey followed the jackal back to the lion’s cave. This time, the lion waited patiently. Once the donkey was close enough, the lion attacked swiftly and killed the donkey in a single blow.
However, the lion was still weak and tired from his earlier struggle. Before eating, he told the jackal, “Guard the carcass while I go to the river to drink and bathe. Don’t touch it until I return.”
The jackal, who had not eaten for days, stared at the donkey’s body. His hunger grew unbearable. Unable to control himself any longer, he ate the donkey’s brain while the lion was away.
When the lion returned and saw that the donkey’s brain was missing, he was furious. “Where is the brain?” he roared. “Who has tampered with my meal?”
The jackal, quick to think, replied, “Master, don’t be angry. This donkey had no brain at all! If he had one, would he have come back after you attacked him the first time?”
The lion, satisfied with the jackal’s explanation, accepted the excuse. And together, they finally had their much-needed meal after days of hunger.
Moral : Foolishness leads to one’s downfall, while wit can sometimes save the day.
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