The Hare and His Horns

Once upon a time there was a Lion had been badly hurt by the horns of a Goat, while he was eating. He was very angry to think that any animal that he chose for a meal, should be so brazen as to wear such dangerous things as horns to scratch him while he ate. So he commanded that all animals with horns should leave his kingdom as soon as possible. he don't want to see them at all. 

The command struck terror among all the animals. All those who were so unfortunate as to have horns, started to move out of that jungle. Even the Hare, who has no horns and so had nothing to fear. He passed a very restless night, thinking about the fearful Lion.

He came out of the warren in the early morning sunshine, and there saw the shadow cast by his long and pointed ears. He was frightened to see this. Good by my dear friend cricket. I am going off. The cricket said that why are you leaving? You don't have horns you should stay here. He certainly point out that my ears are horns, no matter what I am. In the mean time lion came with a roar and killed the hare.

Moral: Do not give your enemies the slightest reason to attack your reputation. Your enemies will seize any excuse to attack you.

The Lion and The Mouse

Once upon a time a lion was asleep under a tree. A little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I can do for you. I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?" 

The Lion was so excited at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. 

Some Days later the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.

The Frogs and the Fighting Bulls

There lived a group of frog in the march near a lake. One day two bulls were fighting furiously in a field, at one side of which was a marsh. An old frog living with his fellow in the marsh trembled as he watched the fierce battle.

What are you afraid of? asked a young child of the frog. "Do you not see," replied the old Frog, "that the bull that is beaten, will be driven away from the good forage up there to the reeds of this marsh, and we shall all be trampled into the mud?" We all will die with their fighting. So now we should leave this place for save our life.

It turned out as the Frog had said. The beaten Bull was driven to the marsh, where his great hoofs take the frogs to death.

Moral: When the great fall out, the weak must suffer for it.

The Monkey and the Fishermen

Once there was a monkey was sitting up in a high tree when, seeing two fishermen laying their nets in a river, he watched what they were doing. At midday, the men went off to eat and left their nets on the river-bank, intending to use them again after lunch. The monkey came down from the tree, thinking that he would try his hand at the same sport and catch some fishes. 

But in attempting to lay the nets he got so entangled in them, that being well-nigh choked, he was forced to exclaim; said the monkey, now I have learnt that it is better to leave the task to those who know how to do. In the mean time two fishers came and rescue the monkey. Finally monkey leave that place and never came again. 

The Wolf and His Shadow: Aesop's Fables

Once upon a time there lived a wolf in a forest. One evening he was running in the sun shade.The setting sun cast his shadow far out on the ground, and it looked as if the wolf were a hundred times bigger than he really was.

"Why," exclaimed the Wolf proudly, "see how big I am! Fancy me running away from a puny Lion! I'll show him who is fit to be king. I will be king of this jungle.

He went to the lion and said I am bigger than you and come I will show you how much big I am? The lion replied o show me. Just then an immense shadow blotted him out entirely. He got scared and the next instant a Lion struck him down with a single blow.

Moral: Do not let your fancy make you forget realities.

The Slave and The Lion

In Italy a long time ago there was a slave. His name was Androcles and he was a Negro. His master was very cruel. He was not treating Androcles properly. He was beating him and not giving adequate food to eat. So one day out of anger Androcles freed away from his masters home. 

After flee zing Androcles went inside a forest. He took shelter inside a cave to protect himself from cold, sun and wild animals. One day he heard a unusual roar of a lion. He observed lion from a distance. A sharp thorn had pierced in the front paw of the lion. Due to this the lion was unable to move properly. He was feeling pain by walking. Probably he was not taken food for many days. That is why he was roaring unusually.

After observing all this Androcles went near the lion very casually. The lion roar and try to scare Androcles. Due to the thorn in his paw it was very difficult and painful for him. Androcles carefully came near to the lion and causally remove that thorn from the lions paw. After removal of the thorn the lion able do his activities as earlier. After a few days he became normal. Androcles and the lion became friend.

After a few days Androcles master and his man came to the jungle. They searched Androcles everywhere. Finally they capture him and took away to the city. The master want to punish Androcles for his misbehavior. Initially he put him inside the jail and give him all types of structure.

One day the master declared that he will free Androcles if he can defeat a lion in a game in the arena. He fixed a date for the game show. Androcles was afraid to fight against the lion. He was praying the god to save his life. At last the date arrived. Androcles was pushed inside the game arena. Afterward they brought one hungry lion. They released the lion inside the game arena and closed the door. 

The hungry lion roared and rushed wards Androcles. Androcles prayed his god and did not losses his composer. The lion came very near to Androcles in an attacking mode. But surprisingly the lion changed his behavior. Instead of killing Androcles, he licked his food. The lion was the same lion from whose paw Androcles was removed that thorn.

All the people surprise to see the strange incident. They have not seen a friendship between a hungry lion and a man. They appreciated friendship of the lion and Androcles. So they liberated Androcles from the slavery.

Unity Is Strength

Once upon a time there was an old man staying with his sons. He was very ill and lay dying in his bed. He had four sons who were always fighting with each other. He always worried about them and wanted to teach them a lesson and asked his sons to come to him. When they came, the old man gave them a bundle of sticks and said, “Can you break these sticks?”

The first son tried to break the bundle but nothing happened. He tried very hard and finally gave up. Then it was the turn of the second son to try his luck. He thought it would be an easy task and picked up the sticks easily. He tried his best to break the sticks but nothing happened. Then, the third son tried to break the bundle of sticks, but he couldn't do anything either.

Meanwhile, the youngest son jeered at his brothers and thought they were very incompetent. He thought he was very clever and took one stick at a time and easily broke all of them.

The old father then smiled at his sons and said, “Children, do you understand what happened? It is always easy to break the sticks one by one. But when they are bundled together, none of you could break them. In the same way you four brothers should always be together. No one will be able to hurt you then.” The four brothers realized what their father was trying to teach them and forgot all their enmity and learnt that unity is strength. From that day onward, they never fought with each other and lived together in peace and harmony.

The Heron and the Crab

Once upon a time there was a heron lived a heron near a pond. He enjoyed eating fish and other creatures from the pond for many years. The heron had grown so old, that he could not catch fishes from the pond anymore. He became lean and weak with every passing day due to lack of food. Unable to bear the hunger anymore, he hit upon a plan.

One fine day he stood in the middle of the pond, meditating on one leg, and let all the fish and frogs pass by unhurt. All the creatures of the pond were surprised at this. A crab came to him and said, “Why are you so inactive these days? Why are you crying instead to catching fishes?"

On seeing this, a crab took pity on him and went near, "Uncle, What is the matter? Why are you crying instead to catching fishes?" Continuing to pretend, the heron replied, "My baby, I would not touch any fish anymore. I have decided to renounce all worldly matters, and I will die as soon as possible".

The crab asked, "If you have indeed rejected to eat fish and other water creature it’s ok, why is it that you cry?"

The heron explained, "My Baby, I have been in this pond from my birth. I have grown here. And it now that I have grown so old that I hear that this pond will dry up as there will be no rains for the next twelve years". The crab was surprised to hear this, "Uncle, please tell me if it is true. Please tell me where you have heard such thing." Then I can say to my fellow creatures.

The heron replied, "I have heard the news from a wise astrologer that there will be no rains for the next twelve years. You see, there is no water in the pond. And very soon, due to lack of rains, the pond will dry up completely very soon."

The crab was taken aback by the news of what is to befall on them, and went to tell this to the other water creatures. On hearing this piece of news, everybody started to fear. They believed the heron, as he was not trying to catch any fish at all. So, they met the heron to seek advice, "Please guide us to save us from this disaster."

The heron said, "There is a big pond nearby here. It is full of water, and beautifully covered with lotus flowers. There is so much water in the pond, which it would not dry even if it did not rain for twenty four years. I can take you there, if you can ride on my back."

The heron and the Crab

He had already gained their confidence. So, they gathered around him and requested to carry them one at a time to the other lake and save them.  The wicked heron had succeeded in his plan. Every day, he would carry on of them on his back pretending to take them to the other pond.

After flying a little away from the pond, he would smash them against a rock and eat them up. He would then return after some time to the pond. This happened for many days, when the crab said to the heron, "Uncle, you take others to the lake but it is me who is your first friend. Please take me to the other pond to save my life."

The heron was happy to hear this. He thought to himself, "Having a fish everyday has become boring. It is good that I will get to eat a crab today, for a change." Having thus decided, the heron started carrying the crab to the same rock. The crab looked down from above and saw the heap of bones and skeletons of tiny creatures. At once, the crab understood what the heron was going to do here.

He remained calm, and said to the heron, "Uncle where is the ponds?  The heron replied, "There is no pond at all. You will be my meal today.  As I do every day, I will smash you against a rock and make a meal out of you."  When the heron admitted the truth, the crab got hold of the heron's neck with its strong claws, and strangled him to death.

The crab laughed at himself that he had saved himself and came back to the pond.  The other water creatures in the lake were surprised to see him back. The crab said that “We were being made fools! The heron was an imposter and what he told about the pond drying up was all false. He was taking one of us every day for his meal in a rock not far from here."  There is no need to worry, for we are safe in this pond. It is not going to dry up at all." 

The Crow and the Pitcher, Thirsty crow

Once upon a time there was a crow living in a forest. One hot summer day, it feels thirsty. He flew all over the fields looking for water. For a long time, he could not find anythings on his way. He felt very weak, almost lost all hope. Suddenly, he saw a water jug below the tree in the kings palace. He flew straight down to see if there was any water inside the jug. Yes, he could see some water inside the jug!

The crow tried to push his head into the jug. Sadly, he found that the neck of the jug was too narrow. Then he tried to push the jug to tilt for the water to flow out but the jug was too heavy to move around.

The crow thought hard for a while. Then looking around it, he saw some pebbles. he suddenly had a good idea. He started picking up the pebbles one by one, dropping each into the jug. As more and more pebbles filled the jug, the water level kept rising. Soon it was high enough for the crow to drink. His plan had worked and flew away after drinking the water happily.