Long, long ago, there lived a wise old deer who led a herd of a thousand deer. He had two tall beautiful sons: Beauty, with reddish fur, and Grey, with grey fur. As he was old, he divided his herd between his two sons and told them to look after their respective herds carefully.
During the harvest time, the deer had a habit of going into the paddy fields, where farmers set traps for them by making pits with sharp stakes in them. Deer were often killed by farmers. So, the old deer had asked his sons to move to the mountains during harvest. So, Beauty and Grey led their herds up to the mountains.
Grey was impatient. He led his herd at great speed. He was neither cautious nor very sensible. He travelled during daylight and at night. The farmers knew that the deer moved to the mountains to keep away during harvest. Therefore, they lay in wait for them. At the opportune time, they caught and killed the deer from Grey’s herd. They were able to get meat and deer-skins easily. By the time, Grey’s herd reached the mountain, there were very few left.
Beauty, on the other hand, was a wise deer. He knew that, as the leader of his herd, it was his responsibility to look after their safety. He was aware of the fact that the farmers would be waiting. So, he took his herd up at night, avoiding the villages and going slowly and carefully. His herd reached the mountain safely.
The same thing happened on the return journey after the harvest was over. Grey pushed along at great speed. Even the earlier experience had not taught him caution. So, he came back to his father, wounded and miserable, and his entire herd had been killed. Soon he too died.
Beauty, on the other hand, was as cautious as before. Leading his herd away from the villages, he travelled in the dark and brought them all safely back to the plains. His father greeted his wise son and turned to his doe saying, “This one will be a wise leader. He puts the safety and welfare of his herd first. His herd will be in safe hands!”
And the old deer was right. Beauty lived on to become a great leader and his herd grew. He was loved and respected by his herd because they trusted him. The farmers could never lay their hands on a single deer in Beauty’s herd. He was truly a wise leader.
