Once upon a time, in an old jungle, there was a large banyan tree with many pigeons residing on it. They roamed the jungle, searching for food and satisfying their hunger. Among these pigeons was an old and wise one, whose advice was respected by all.
One day, a fox wandered into the jungle. Observing the pigeons, a gleam appeared in its eyes. The fox thought of something and quietly retreated, but the old pigeon noticed him.
The next afternoon, while all the pigeons were resting on the tree, the fox returned. He saw that due to the heat, all the pigeons were resting on the tree. He spread a net under the banyan tree, scattered some grains on it, and hid behind another tree.
One of the pigeons noticed the grains and informed the others, saying, “Look, brothers! Today, luck has favored us. We don’t have to go anywhere to find food; instead, the food has come to us. Let’s go and enjoy our meal.”
Suffering from the heat and hunger, the pigeons started descending to peck at the grains. The old pigeon stopped them, but none paid heed and began pecking at the grains.
Observing the pigeons engrossed in eating, the fox, hidden behind the tree, was delighted. However, the old pigeon had seen through the fox’s plan from the beginning.
As soon as the pigeons descended, the old pigeon stopped them again. This time, he said, “When I say so, all of us will attempt to fly together, and by following me, we’ll fly away.” The other pigeons expressed their concern, stating that they were trapped in the net, and how could they fly. However, the old pigeon reassured them that if they tried together, they could break free.
All the pigeons agreed, and at the old pigeon’s signal, they flapped their wings simultaneously. To everyone’s surprise, they lifted off the ground, net and all. The fox, witnessing the pigeons flying away with the net, was astonished. Although he tried to chase them, the pigeons flew over rivers and mountains, eluding his pursuit. The fox couldn’t keep up.
Meanwhile, the old pigeon led the trapped pigeons to a hill where his friend, a mouse, lived. Seeing the situation, the mouse offered to cut the net with his teeth. Gratefully, the old pigeon thanked the mouse, who quickly cut the net, freeing all the pigeons.
Overwhelmed with joy, the pigeons thanked the mouse and apologized to the old pigeon for not heeding his warnings earlier.
The moral of the story is that unity is strength, and we should always respect the wisdom of the elders.
