This is the start of the second book, called “Winning of Friends.”
In a jungle was a large tree, home to many birds. A crow lived in that tree. One day, the crow saw a hunter creeping towards it. He flew to the tree and said to the birds, “A hunter is coming this side with a net and rice. He plans to trap you. Do not fall for that. Do not touch the rice.”
The hunter reached the tree, spread the net on the ground, scattered the rice around it, and began waiting.
A group of doves was flying around in search of food. They saw the rice on the ground. The crow warned them not to touch the rice, but they did not care. They began eating the rice and were soon caught by the hunter.
The doves began fluttering around. Seeing this, their leader asked them not to worry. He said if they were united, they could defeat the hunter. He asked all to get together, and united as one, they flew off with the net.
The hunter chased them. The crow was curious, and he flew behind them to see where they went. The hunter could not keep up with the flying birds, and he soon gave up. Seeing the hunter not chasing them, the doves decided to go to the city. The leader of the doves knew a mouse who could help them.
They went near the mouse’s home and began calling out to him. The mouse came out and saw the doves, trapped inside the net. He was about to free the leader, when the leader stopped the mouse. He said, “Free the others first, then me.”
Soon all the doves were free. They all thanked the mouse and flew home.
The crow saw this and was impressed. He wanted to be friends with the mouse. He thought, maybe when he was in similar trouble, the mouse could help him.
He called out to the mouse. The mouse refused to come out and asked who it was. The crow said, he was a crow who wanted to be friends with him. The mouse refused and said crows ate mice, and there was no way a crow and a mouse could be friends. The crow was offended and said he would starve himself to death if the mouse did not agree. The mouse said there were two types of enemies: natural enemies and enmity that arose because of a quarrel. The crows and mice were natural enemies. The crow said he would swear on all gods that he would not harm the mouse. The mouse still refused to trust the crow. The crow was impressed with the mouse’s knowledge. He then said he would like to hear the mouse talk. The mouse also thought this crow was different. Soon the mouse and the crow began talking and became friends.
One day, the crow came to the mouse and said he had decided to leave the place. There was no rain, and people were not getting enough to eat. They were setting traps to catch birds. The mouse asked where he planned to go. The crow said, there was a dense jungle down south. A turtle, who was the crow’s friend, lived in that jungle. The mouse said he also wanted to leave. The crow asked him the reason why, and the mouse said he would tell him when they reached the destination. The crow asked the mouse how they would travel, and the mouse said he would like to ride on the crow’s back. The crow happily agreed.
The mouse climbed up on the crow’s back, and the crow flew to the forest and landed near the lake where the turtle lived. The crow met the turtle and introduced the mouse. Then the crow asked the mouse to tell its story.
Key Takeaways
A group can overcome a powerful threat if they remain united and act together.
The leader of the doves showed practical thinking by directing the group to a friend who had a necessary skill to secure their freedom.
The dove leader’s instruction—”Free the others first, then me”—highlights the principle of selfless leadership and prioritizing the well-being of the group over oneself.
The relationship between the mouse and the crow emphasizes the possibility of forming bonds despite being “natural enemies.” The crow’s persistence and the mouse’s open-mindedness led to a valuable alliance.
The crow initiated the journey because of environmental and safety concerns, showing prudence and forward-planning to secure a better future.
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