Rash action

The Brahmin and the Crooks

A Brahmin lived in a small village. He used to worship the fire god every day. It was the month of Magha (February) and the sky was filled with dark clouds. It started raining when the Brahmin left for a neighbouring village to seek a lamb as a gift from some rich man. He wanted to offer the lamb to the fire god.

The Brahmin visited a rich man in the village and requested him to give him a healthy lamb. The wealthy man happily gave him one of his well-fed lambs. The Brahmin put the lamb across his shoul- ders and began walking home.

On the way, three cunning men saw him. They were feeling very hungry. So, when they saw the fat lamb on the Brahmin's shoulders, they said to each other, Aha! A God-given gift! Food for us! Let us trick the Brahmin and steal the lamb. At least, we will not be hungry and cold any more.'

Then, they made a plan. They changed the God! And clothes and appearance. Then, each of them started to walk alongside the Brahmin, one by one.

The first crook stopped the Brahmin in the mid. Please forgive dle of the road and said, 'O you great fool! You say you are a great worshipper of the fire god? Then, why are you carrying this dog on your shoulders? This will bring you bad luck. Don't you know it is a sin for a Brahmin to touch a dog or a rooster or a donkey?"

The Brahmin became angry. 'You foolish, blind fellow!' he shouted. 'This is a lamb, not a dog!'

'All right, if you think so,' replied the first crook. 'If you want to keep thinking it is a lamb, it is fine, please carry on ... Then he walked away.

The second crook greeted him after the Brahmin had covered only a short distance.

'O sir. O respected sir! What misfortune has led you to carry a dead calf on your shoulders? You must you know that the cleanse himself. man who touch Sthirajeevi picked up the threads of his earlier conver sation with the crow king. 'It is useful to remember that there are only a few people who are not influenced by the loyalty of a new servant, the praise of a guest, or the false tears of a cunning woman.

"Also, remember, you should never quarrel with weak men, for when they unite, they cannot be defeated. The story of how a deadly snake became the prey of a united army of ants comes to mind. This is the reason I am warning you. Please follow id to fight with

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my advice.' 'We shall do exactly what you tell us,' said the crow king.

Sthirajeevi then said, 'Listen carefully. It is crucial that you understand clearly what I say. Forget about the four plans I mentioned earlier. The fifth plan is this. When we are both in the presence of everyone, punish me because I am a friend of your enemy. The enemy spies are everywhere and they will be led into thinking that we have fallen out and you mistrust me. Splash some blood on my body. That should really convince them. Then you should promptly go into exile in the Rishyamooka Hills.

Meanwhile, I shall remain here pretending to be injured. The enemy will come and I will gain their kindness and trust by cursing and blaming you. You must stay put in the hills with the army till I find the enemy's fort. Then, during the day, when all the owls would be sleeping, I will send you a message. You can come and kill all the owls with the help of your army. We have no other option but to accept this plan.

The crow king agreed to the plan. Sthirajeevi pre- tended to fight with the crow king. The king's minis- ters and the others mistook it for a real fight and got ready to kill Sthirajeevi, when the king intervened.

'Do not interfere,' he ordered. 'Only I will punish this unfaithful fellow!'

The crow king pretended to attack Sthirajeevi with his beak. He splashed him with blood. Sthirajeevi pretended to be badly hurt. As the fight concluded the crow king left for the hills.

The owl king's wife was spying on the crow's camp. She told the owl king about the fight with Sthirajeevi and that the king had left for the hills.

Soon after sunset, the owl king set out to kill all the crows, with his ministers and followers. They reached the tree, the home of the crows. They made a circle around the tree.

inthe owl king was happy that there was not even a single crow there. He at once told his followers to look everywhere for the crows and kill them. Meanwhile, Sthirajeevi pretended to moan in pain to attract the attention of the owls.

The owls saw this and rushed to kill him. 'Sirs,' he pleaded, 'my name is Sthirajeevi and am a senior minister of the crow king. I have some. thing to tell the owl king. Before you kill me, please listen to me.'

The owl king rushed to meet him. He asked him what had led to his pitiable condition.

'Our king wanted to take revenge because your owls killed his crows,' said Sthirajeevi. 'When I found out that he had decided to fight you, I advised him to make peace with you. My king thought that I was on your side and became very angry. Thus, he injured me. Let me get well. I will reveal their hiding places and you can kill them all easily.'

The owl king called a meeting of his elders and his five ministers.

He said to his first minister, 'Our enemy's min- ister is with us. What shall we do with him?'

"What is there to discuss?' the minister asked. 'Kill him at once. It is always better to destroy the enemy before he gains strength. Such opportunities are rare. Let go of it now, and you will lose the chance forever. Do not get carried away by the crow king's minister's act of affection. Because, once love is lost,

it never returns.'

To further explain the meaning of his last sentence, the first minister related the story of the Brahmin and the cobra to the owl king.