The Jackal and the Cat: A Lesson in Trust – Fable from Hitopadesha, India

The Jackal and the Cat

Deep in the forest, lived a blind Jackal named Jarad-gava. He was kind and other animals helped him find food. One day, a Cat named Deerga-karna came looking for young birds to eat. The birds were scared and cried for help.

The Jackal heard the noise and threatened the Cat. But the Cat pretended to be a wise and religious creature. He fooled the Jackal with kind words and stories.

The Jackal believed the Cat and even told the birds it was safe. The Cat then tricked the Jackal into trusting him and lived with him in the tree.

Sadly, the Cat was not who he seemed. He secretly ate all the young birds one by one! When the other birds discovered the missing babies, they blamed the Jackal who they thought had eaten them. The birds attacked the Jackal, not knowing he had been tricked.

This story teaches us to be careful who we trust. Just because someone sounds nice doesn't mean they are! It's important to learn about someone before letting them close.