A long time ago, in a jungle, there were two close friends, a jackal, and an ostrich. The jackal was quite cunning, while the ostrich was straightforward. These two friends would spend hours sitting by the river, sharing their joys and sorrows. As days passed, their friendship deepened.
One day, someone informed the jackal that there were ripe watermelons in the nearby fields. Hearing this, the jackal’s greed was aroused, but the field was across the river. Crossing the river to reach the field posed a challenge for the jackal. Consequently, he began contemplating a plan to overcome this obstacle.
While pondering, the jackal approached the ostrich. During the day, the ostrich had never seen the jackal around the riverbank, so he inquired, “Friend, how did you get here? We were supposed to meet by the riverside in the evening.” The jackal, with cleverness, replied, “Look, my friend, there are ripe watermelons in the nearby field. I’ve heard that watermelons are very sweet. You will be delighted after eating them. That’s why I came to inform you.”
The ostrich was fond of watermelons and said, “Wow! I go to that village often. I haven’t had watermelons for a long time.” The ostrich quickly prepared to cross the river to reach the field. At that moment, the jackal added, “You enjoy the watermelons, but I don’t know how to swim. If you eat the watermelons, I will feel as if I have eaten them too.”
The ostrich reassured him, saying, “Don’t worry, my friend. I’ll carry you on my back and take you across the river. Then, we can enjoy the watermelons together.”
True to his words, the ostrich carried the jackal on his back and reached the field. The jackal happily ate the watermelons and expressed his joy loudly. The ostrich warned him not to make noise, but the jackal paid no heed.
The noise reached the ears of a farmer, who, armed with a stick, approached the field. The jackal, being cunning, quickly hid behind the trees. However, the ostrich, with its large body, couldn’t hide and bore the brunt of the farmer’s anger.
Despite the struggle to save itself, the ostrich managed to escape the field. It confronted the jackal, asking, “Why were you yelling?”
The jackal, smirking, replied, “After eating, I have a habit of making noise. It helps with digestion.”
Understanding the situation, the farmer chased the jackal away. The ostrich, angry and hurt, continued toward the river. The jackal, realizing the consequences of its actions, never dared to trouble the ostrich again.
From this story, the lesson is not to engage in cunning actions, as they can backfire and have consequences. What one does to others may come back to oneself in unexpected ways.
