Once upon a time, there was a dense jungle where a fierce lion lived. A crow, a jackal, and a leopard served him as his companions. The lion would hunt every day, and these three would fill their stomachs with the leftover prey.
One day, an ostrich arrived in the jungle, having separated from its companions. The lion had never seen an ostrich before. The crow informed the lion that it was an ostrich and probably came from a nearby village. The crow suggested that they could make it their prey and fill their stomachs. The jackal and the leopard also liked the idea.
Upon hearing this, the lion said that the ostrich was their guest, and he wouldn’t hunt it. The lion approached the ostrich and learned its story. The ostrich explained how it had become separated from its companions and ended up in the jungle.Â
Touched by the ostrich’s plight, the lion decided to let it stay in the jungle. The crow, the jackal, and the leopard, on hearing this, secretly resented the lion for not allowing them to have the ostrich as prey.
The ostrich settled in the jungle, quickly becoming healthy by feeding on the green grass and leaves. During this time, the lion got into a fight with a wild elephant in the jungle and was severely injured. He couldn’t go for hunting, and the crow, jackal, and leopard, dependent on the lion, started to weaken.
When several days passed without any food, the leopard said to the lion that he had become very weak. If he didn’t hunt, the situation could worsen. The lion replied that he had become so weak that he couldn’t go anywhere for hunting. If they could bring an animal here, he could eat, and they all could satisfy their hunger.
Hearing this, the leopard, the jackal, and the crow began to think of a plan. The ostrich overheard their conversation and came forward, offering to sacrifice itself for the lion and the others. The lion, however, refused, saying that the ostrich was their guest and he would never hunt it.
The crow then suggested, “What if the ostrich willingly offers itself in front of you?” The lion responded that in that case, he would eat it. The crow, along with the jackal and the leopard, then devised a plan. They went to the ostrich and told it that the lion had become weak and needed it to sacrifice itself for the well-being of all in the jungle.
The ostrich, considering the greater good, agreed. The crow, jackal, and leopard, eager to see the lion lose his moral high ground, went back to the lion and said that the ostrich had volunteered to be the sacrifice. They portrayed themselves as loyal subjects who were concerned about the lion’s well-being.
The lion, unaware of the manipulation, reluctantly agreed. However, before the ostrich could comprehend the situation, the three conspirators attacked and killed it, preparing it as a feast for the lion.
The story teaches us not to trust blindly and not to fall for the cunning words of clever individuals.
