A Crow A Hunter Some Doves and A Mouse

On the banks of the river Godavari stood a towering silk-cotton tree. At night, countless birds gathered there to rest in its branches.

One early morning, as the moon was fading behind the western hills, a crow awoke and noticed a hunter approaching the tree. His figure looked menacing, like Yama, the God of Death himself. Alarmed, the crow thought, “This does not look good. I must see what this man is up to.”

Quietly, he followed the hunter. After walking some distance, the hunter stopped, reached into his bag, and scattered rice grains on the ground. Over the grains, he spread out a net and then hid behind a tree, waiting for his prey.

Soon, the king of doves flew overhead with his flock in search of food. Spotting the rice, he hesitated. “How odd,” he said. “Grains of rice in this deserted forest? Something is not right. I sense danger.”

But his hungry followers ignored his warning. Greedily, they swooped down to peck at the rice. In an instant, the net closed around them. Panic broke out as the doves fluttered helplessly.

The dove king called out firmly, “Friends, do not despair. Alone, none of us can escape. But if we act together, we can save ourselves. Let us each grasp the net and fly upward at the same time.”

The doves listened. With a mighty effort, they flapped their wings in unison, lifting the net into the air. The hunter, watching from his hiding place, was stunned. By the time he came to his senses and began chasing them, the flock had soared far beyond his reach.

The doves then asked their king, “Where shall we go now?”

The king replied, “I know someone who can help us — a dear friend of mine, a mouse who lives by the riverbank. He will surely find a way to free us.”

Guided by their king, the doves flew to the mouse’s burrow. Seeing the flock approach, the mouse grew frightened and darted into his hole. But the king of doves called out gently, “Do not be afraid, my friend. It is I. Please come out and help us.”

Recognizing his friend’s voice, the mouse hurried out. The dove king quickly explained their plight. Without wasting a moment, the mouse began gnawing at the strings of the net. One by one, the birds were freed.

From a distance, the crow had been watching the entire scene. He was deeply moved by the loyalty and trust between the dove king and the mouse.

And so the lesson was clear:

Moral: A friend in need is a friend indeed.