Picnic

Once upon a time in a forest, the jackal, the rabbit, and the deer decided to have a picnic. They camped under a big banyan tree in the forest and made preparations to cook. While the cat's wife was sweeping away the fallen leaves, the deer's wife was making a stove, and the rabbit's wife was gathering dry leaves and sticks from the surroundings.

The jackal, rabbit, and deer went to the market to buy cooking materials. While coming back with rice, pulses, fish, vegetables, spices, etc., they saw their old friend Tomcat on the way. Rabbit solemnly invited Tomcat to join the feast. At the same time, the jackal said that in order to participate in the feast, he had to buy some groceries from the market as the amount of groceries they had bought may fall short or may be insufficient for them. Tomcat expressed his inability to buy any cooking materials. He said that since his aunt was sick, he had spent all the money he had saved on her aunt's treatment. The jackal and the deer left the place, telling that they will have a feast together next time. The rabbit also followed them, but it didn't feel good to him at all.

After reaching the picnic spot, the deer's wife asked the deer why they were late, and the deer explained everything. The rabbit was sad because Tomcat was not included in the feast. The Jackal's wife scolded the jackal and said, "Can't we manage one more person if we have cooked for six people? How much will the small tomcat eat that you didn't include him? What will be the problem if a handful falls short? After all, he is your friend! Whether it is less or more, it is better to share and eat. If you share happiness, it will increase, if you share sorrow, it will decrease." After hearing such scolding from his wife, the jackal immediately went to fetch Tomcat.

He ran and reached the village in about ten minutes. Due to haste, he could not see the net lying below and got trapped in it. The villagers had spread the net because the jackals were stealing the villagers' hens. The jackal tried hard to get out of the trap but could not escape and silently waited for his death in despair. At that very moment, Tomcat came running to the place, tore the net, and took the jackal into the forest.

They both sat near a tree on the top of the hill. Hearing from the villagers that a jackal had been trapped, Tomcat rushed to save the jackal. Had there been some delay, the villagers would have come and killed the jackal. The jackal apologized to Tomcat for his behaviour that day and asked him to come to the feast. At first, Tomcat was a little reluctant, but after much coercion, he finally agreed and went to the party. The rabbit and the deer, being vegetarians, ate rice, pulses, and vegetables, and the jackal and the tomcat, being omnivores, happily ate rice and pulses along with all the fried fish.