Wolf and the Lamb: Tale Retold in Modern Times

Wolf! Wolf cried the banks, lambs they are, ready for the slaughter

We have read the Panchtantra tales and know the end there after.

Namo said they are home bred, so fear no more.

Vocal for the local, they are desi corporates to the fore.

Not quite sure, some banks have already been eaten

Future is uncertain, like them we can also be beaten.

Sabka viswas, nahi hoga tumhara vinash

(I have everyone’s trust, your destruction won’t happen)

There is just one letter difference between the masses and the asses.

Once a man went to the bank and said I need a loan to buy lambs which I would tend for milk and meat. The bank manager said ok and I will give you the loan under MUDRA, the brain child of a scheme devised by the PM. But you have to keep this watch dog for protection. But the man said this does not look like a dog but indeed a wolf. The manager said it is domestic bred. You need to go vocal for local. The man said I am ‘banking’ on these lambs for my livelihood. Hope this wolf doesn’t turn out to be a wolf in the lambs clothing. I am told that banks are like lambs under the threat of corporate wolves though they might be desi bred and yet you want me to open an account in your bank and keep my earnings.

The manager said don’t worry sabka vikas, sabke viswas (development for all with everyone’s trust). The man took the wolf and later with the loan bought some lambs and tended to them. One day he found one lamb missing and the wolf looked sheepish. The man went to the bank and complained that the wolf may have eaten the lamb. The manager said not to worry. We can send the wolf to a saffron training camp (it is called Shaka) where after training it will turn into vegetarian. So, the wolf was sent to training.

When the wolf returned man gave it goat milk and dal chawal to eat. The wolf seemed happy. One day when the man was doing his prayer turning towards east, the wolf came and bit him. The man once again complained to the bank manager and narrated the incident and asked to take back the wolf. The bank manager kept the wolf himself and fed cow milk and dal-chawal. But the wolf was not happy and it was growing frustrated.

One day a corporate honcho came to the bank manager when the manager was struggling with the wolf. The honcho told the manager let me take care of the wolf as I know how to deal with animal spirits. The wolf went away with the honcho and lived happily thereafter. The wolf and the honcho were made for each other.