Beauty of the Ugly

Long Long ago, there was a dense forest on a beautiful island called Sundarnagar. The forest was home to many kinds of animals, birds, and trees. There were total of seven villages on that island. In one of the villages Rajanagar, there lived a small black rabbit called Chiku with his parents Meena and Monu. Chiku had a best friend whose name was Vayu, the vulture. When Chiku grew up, his parents started searching for a bride for him. One day his mother Meena saw a beautiful white rabbit in the village's college.

She enquired the Principal Elephant about her, “Who is that pretty rabbit in pink clothes?"

“Her name is Beauty. She lives in Roopnagar, the village nearby." Replied the principal.

Meena and Monu visited Beauty's home and asked her parents to marry her to Chiku. Her parents agreed as they knew that Chiku was a hard-working rabbit and he owned five carrot fields and two houses in his village. Soon, Beauty got married to Chiku and came to Rajanagar. There she saw Chiku for the first time.

Her reaction to seeing Chiku was very bad. “My parents have destroyed my life by getting me married to such an ugly black rabbit," she said.

Chiku was very hurt to hear those words but kept quiet. Beauty never talked politely with him and always made fun of him in front of her new friends in the village that were Pihu, the peacock with colorful wings, Mimmi the parrot with a bright red band on neck, and Chinu, the squirrel with a golden tail." “Pihu, Mimi and Chinu are very selfish Beauty ….. Please stay away from them" Chiku told beauty one day.

Beauty became furious, “You are jealous because I and my friends are charming."

After some days Beauty's brother visited them. Chiku threw a party for him where he invited friends of Beauty and his best friend Vayu too. Vayu was going to meet Beauty for the first time. He arrived in the evening.

On seeing Vayu, Beauty screamed “Who are you? ….. You ugly creature! ….. How dare you enter my house?"

Chiku said, “Beauty what are you saying? ….. He is my best friend Vayu."

The beauty replied, “O, yes, I should have understood that such an ugly animal can be chosen as a friend only by an unattractive rabbit like you ….. Take him out of my house at once."

Chiku and Vayu went outside the house where Vayu saw Chiku ashamed at the act of his wife. He tried to console him, “Chiku doesn't be upset ….. I did not mind her words."

Chiku only said in a low voice, “I am sorry Vayu."

That night Beauty told Chiku that if he did not break his friendship with Vayu, she would leave him and go to her parent's place and would never return back. Chiku tried to explain that though Vayu was not good-looking, he was very good at heart and a very loyal friend but Beauty was rigid. Chiku went to sleep heavy-heartedly.At midnight both Chiku and Beauty heard loud noises and they woke up to find that some houses in the village were burning including their house. They both ran out of the house to save their lives. Chiku found that his parents were standing safe near the village pond.

Suddenly Beauty cried “Where is my brother? ….. He was sleeping in the other house ….. Somebody, please help him."

Chiku wanted to save her brother but was unable to enter the house. Beauty ran to her friends for help.

“Pihu, Mimmi, please save my brother….. He is inside the burning house ….. You can fly and save him" Beauty begged in front of the peacock and the parrot.

Pihu replied, “No, no, I cannot do this ….. My colorful wings will become black and ugly."

The same was the reply from Mimmi, “Look Beauty, I want to help you but I am afraid that I will lose my red band and I won't look attractive without it."

On hearing this, Beauty asked Chinu the squirrel for help, “Chinu, please help my husband to make a hole in the wall. You have got sharp teeth."

Chinu said, “What if my golden tail catches fire? ….. I cannot take that risk."

Beauty fell on the ground almost fainted ….. Suddenly she saw a huge shadow above her second house ….. The shadow entered the house through the roof and after some time returned back ….. Slowly it approached them. 

“Vayu! My friend." Chiku shouted.

It was Vayu ….. He was holding Beauty's brother in his claws ….. Her brother was alive and safe.

Beauty understood that Vayu had broken the roof of the house with his beak and claws and had saved her brother from the fire. She looked at Vayu. Some portion of his wings and legs were burnt in fire and he was in pain. She was very ashamed of her behaviour towards Vayu and Chiku.

She went near Vayu and Chiku and said, “Vayu please forgive me. I only saw how you looked from outside but could never see your good heart ….. Chiku, I ask for forgiveness from you too ….. I misbehaved so much with both of you but this fire has opened my eyes ….. The animals with whom I made friends, left me alone when I needed them. They only cared about themselves and their appearance but Vayu, you endangered your life for my brother ….. Now, I understand that good friend are not those who are only beautiful outside but also those who are beautiful inside."

Chiku and Vayu forgave Beauty and the next morning they all started a new life by making a new house for themselves.

Moral of the story: Never judge people by their outward appearance.

The physical appearance is provided by god and we cannot do much about it thus, what we should look at in a person are the virtues he possesses. A person who is not very attractive by appearance can be very good and loyal at heart.