A horse was crunching his fodder and oats at his manger in a stable. The stable was outside a house near a forest. The horse was quite healthy and strong.
A wild horse used to pass by that way. He was jealous to see the pet horse who was served tasty fodder. One day, the wild horse again happened to pass by that stable. He saw the pet horse being fed. He thought to himself— ‘It is the lucky horse! He doesn’t have to wander around in search of green grass. He is served rich fodder which is tastier than green grass. It is his master’s headache to arrange food for him. When I compare myself with this stall-fed horse, I feel myself to be very unlucky. No one cares for me. I have to manage my own meals. I really wish I had been in his place.’
Thinking so, he went away from there. After a few days, he happened to pass by that house again. He saw that the pet horse was readied for work. His master was loading a lot of merchandise on his back. The horse was standing silently and waiting for the command of his master.
This opened the eyes of the wild horse. Now instead of envying the pet, he began feeling sad about him. Now he was happy that he was not a slave. He was a master of himself. He did not have to carry load on his back.
He felt lucky to be so free that he could go anywhere at his will. He returned to the forest and never went near that house.
Moral : There is no joy of freedom in slavery.
