The Elephant and the Hares

Deep in a vast jungle, there was a beautiful lake called Chandrasar, or the Lake of the Moon. The water was cool and clear. On the banks of this lake lived a large colony of Hares. They were happy and peaceful, hopping through the soft grass.

One year, a terrible drought hit the jungle. Rivers dried up, and leaves turned brown. A large herd of Elephants, led by a massive King Elephant named Chaturdanta, was desperate for water. “We must find water,” trumpeted the King, “or we will perish.”

They smelled the water of Chandrasar from miles away. The herd marched towards the lake. Thud! Thud! Thud! As the giant Elephants rushed into the water to drink and bathe, they didn’t look where they were stepping. They trampled the soft burrows of the Hares, hurting many of the little creatures.

The Hares were terrified. “The Elephants will come back tomorrow!” they cried. “We will be crushed!” The King of Hares called a meeting. “We need a plan,” he said. A wise old hare named Vijay stepped forward. “I will handle this, Your Majesty,” he said calmly. “I will speak to the Elephant King.”

That night, Vijay climbed to the top of a high rock near the lake. He waited until the Elephants returned. “Stop!” yelled Vijay in his loudest voice. The Elephant King stopped and looked around. He saw the tiny hare on the rock. “Who are you?” asked the Elephant.

“I am a messenger from the Moon God, Chandra,” lied Vijay confidently. “I have a message for you.” The Elephant King was superstitious. He respected the Moon. “What does the Moon God say?” he asked nervously.

“He is very angry with you,” said Vijay. “This lake is his holy bath. By stomping around yesterday, you disturbed the water and hurt his guardians, the Hares. If you touch this water again, he will curse you!”

The Elephant King looked at the lake. It was night, and the full moon was reflecting perfectly in the still water. “I don’t see him,” said the Elephant. “Come closer,” whispered Vijay. “But be very gentle. He is meditating in the water.”

The Elephant King slowly dipped the tip of his trunk into the water. Ripple… ripple… The movement made the water shake, and the reflection of the moon seemed to dance and wobble wildly.

“Look!” cried Vijay. “He is shaking with rage! You have disturbed his meditation! Bow down and apologize before he strikes you!”

The terrified Elephant King believed the clever hare. He knelt down and bowed to the reflection. “Please forgive me, O Moon God!” he trumpeted softly. “We did not know this was your home. We will leave immediately and never return.”

The Elephant herd turned around and marched far away to a different part of the jungle. The clever Hares lived happily by their beautiful lake, safe and sound, thanks to the wisdom of old Vijay.

Moral of the Story: Intelligence is more powerful than physical strength. A sharp mind can save you from a big danger.

Moral of the Story: Wisdom is better than strength.