The poor snake and crow

        THE POOR SNAKE & THE CROW

 One it was rainy season. There was severe flood in Mahanadi river. A village named Makarput was situated on the bank of the river. Beside that river bank there was a big banyan tree with thick brances. On its branch a crow was sitting. It was mid day. A king cobra was swimming with the river current. A frog was sitting on its hood. The crow saw the snake's miserable condition and began to laugh. It told the snake mockingly, " O my dear Cobra! You are the king of snakes. Frog is your food. It is sitting on your head. You are carrying it which is your delicious food. Really it is very peculiar and ludicrous scene. Swallow it soon. Fill your stomach. I feel sorry for your difficult situation. " The king cobra retorted, " Yes you are right. It is my irony of fate. What shall I do? I am in a dilemma and I am completely dumbfounded. If I want to eat I can't. Because if I nod my hood, I must lose my balance in the water. I must sink into the flood water. Hence it will be better for me to let it sit on my hood until I get a strong support for my head rest. Then I must swallow it. " The crow was convinced and told, " Yes it's okay my dear friend. I could help you, but I can't do anything because of rushing current. Moreover, I realise the God's play. What is lotted can't be blotted. But I must say that there are both good and bad stages in everyone's life. He who is the king today he may become a pauper tomorrow by the irony of fate.Everything in his life turns topsy turvy. It just like you now. On the other hand, you are so venomous that all the living creatures of the kingdom of God fear you. Now you have no capacity even to get rid of the mean frog on your head which is your favourite snack. " Just after the end of the crow's speech, the heavy rain started and the flow of the river even became even faster. Then the poor King Cobra carrying the frog on its head floated far away up to the horizon bidding good bye to the crow on the tree. [ N. B.This story is collected from The Panchatantra which is specifically written with moral lesson for the kids. It implies that one should never be arrogant under any circumstances. Because the day may come when one's arrogance may be vanquished by God, the omnipotent. ] ( Composed by ©Abadhoot Panda, Cuttack, Odisha. )