The Cobra And The Frog King
Gangadatta, the King of Frogs, lived in a well with his fellow frogs. Despite being the ruler, his relatives constantly nagged and tormented him over trivial matters, leaving him frustrated and angry. One day, fed up with their behavior, Gangadatta decided to leave his kingdom and seek revenge on those who had driven him away.
As he wandered outside the well, he saw a cobra slithering into its hole. An idea sparked in his mind. He thought he could use the cobra to eliminate his troublesome relatives. Approaching the entrance of the cobra’s hole, Gangadatta called out, “My friend, I’ve come to make an alliance with you. I am the king of frogs!”
The cobra, cautious by nature, immediately recognized that it was his enemy speaking. Fearing a trap, he suspected magic or trickery was involved. From inside his hole, the cobra replied, “Who are you? Why speak of friendship? Can fire and wood ever be allies? You are my natural enemy!”
Gangadatta responded, “Yes, I understand. But I seek revenge against my relatives who have tormented me for years. If you help me, I will lead you to my well, where you can feast on as many frogs as you desire.”
The cobra was intrigued but hesitant. “A well is made of stone, and I have no legs to climb. Even if I could enter, how would I sit and eat in comfort? Leave me be!”
Gangadatta assured him, “There is a comfortable hole near the water’s edge where you can sit and feast. I will guide you inside the well and to this resting place. But you must promise to eat only my bothersome relatives and leave my friends unharmed.”
The cobra, old and hungry, found the offer too tempting to resist. Agreeing to the deal, he followed the king of frogs to the well and settled in the cozy spot. True to the agreement, the cobra began to eat one frog at a time, focusing on Gangadatta’s troublesome relatives.
As time passed, the number of frogs dwindled. Eventually, all of Gangadatta’s annoying relatives were gone. One day, the cobra called out to Gangadatta, “There are no more frogs left but your friends. I need more food, my friend. You brought me here, so it’s your responsibility to feed me!”
Gangadatta, realizing his mistake, watched helplessly as the cobra began to devour his friends. One by one, even Gangadatta’s closest companions and his own son were eaten. Desperate, Gangadatta pleaded with the cobra, “Spare me, and I will leave the well to bring more frogs from other wells for you to eat.”
The cobra, driven by greed, agreed and let Gangadatta leave. But days passed, and Gangadatta did not return. Growing anxious, the cobra waited and waited.
Eventually, he asked a lizard living in the well to deliver a message to Gangadatta. “Tell him I cannot bear the separation from my dear friend any longer. He must return.”
The lizard delivered the cobra’s message, but Gangadatta replied, “Please tell him that I will never return. A starving cobra is dangerous, and in his hunger, he could commit any sin.”
And so, Gangadatta saved himself, leaving the greedy cobra to starve and perish inside the well, with no food to sustain him.
Moral : Face your own battles; for if you don’t, you risk your own destruction.
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