The Ungrateful Snake

A traveller on a camel, passing through a thorny forest, saw that an old camp-fire had caused a forest fire. A large snake was caught in the fire and was crying out for help. The compassionate traveller took a saddle-bag from the camel’s back and opening its mouth he fixed a spear into it and extended it to the snake. The snake slid over the spear into the bag safely. The traveller opened the mouth of the bag to release the snake and told it to go away. But the ungrateful snake said it would harm both him and his camel! The traveller was shocked and asked, “Why should you repay my kindness by killing me?” “Doing a good deed for someone unworthy is as bad as an evil deed against a good person,” said the snake. “Who told you to return evil for good?” asked the traveller. “I learnt that from humans only!” replied the snake.

The Cow’s Opinion

“We should not decide this only on your opinion,” said the traveller, “Let us ask some witnesses first.” The snake agreed and seeing a cow grazing there, they went to ask her. “What should be the return for someone giving us a benefit?” asked the snake. “Human beings always pay back good with evil!” said the cow, “I served a farmer loyally all my life, giving him calves, milk and butter for his children. And when I grew old, the farmer uncaringly threw me out of the shed and sent me off to graze in the forest. Now when I am fat and content in my old age, he brought a butcher here to see me and sold me to him! Tomorrow, he will kill me!” “You have heard the cow,” said the snake, “I think I should kill you now.” “Wait!” said the traveller, “Let’s ask one more witness!”

The Tree’s Evidence

Seeing a bare twisted tree, they asked it how a good deed should be repaid. “Do what human beings do,” said the tree sadly, “Look at me! I used to be full of leaves and fruits. I gave shade to travellers and fruits to tired people. But they cut my twigs to make arrows. They chopped off my branches to make a plough. And my trunk has been chopped again and again to give them planks! In return for my kindness in giving them shade and rest, they tore me down and injured me so much!” “Now you know how humans repay goodness,” said the snake, “I must do the same.” “Please let us ask just one more witness,” pleaded the traveller, “I want to live my life peacefully and have done you no harm!” The snake finally agreed to ask one last witness.

The Fox’s Justice

A fox had been watching everything from among the bushes and he came out. He said to the traveller, “The return for good is always evil! Don’t you know that? But what good have you done to the snake for him to retaliate like this?” The traveller told the fox about how he saved the snake from the fire. “You are telling lies!” said the fox. “No. He is speaking the truth!” said the snake, “That is the bag.” “But how can an enormous snake like you get into a little bag like that?” asked the surprised fox. “I’ll show you,” said the snake and he slithered into the bag. “Young man, you must not show mercy to the unworthy enemy!” said the fox. Immediately, the traveller understood what he meant. He shut the bag and threw it on a stone, killing the evil snake! He had learnt the lesson of good and evil!

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