Page 24 - Moral Stories Vol 1

The hermit asked: “O hen, why did you fly against the red ants’ nest?” And the hen replied: “The seed fell into my eyes and hurt me”. And the hermit asked, “O seed, why did you fall into the hen’s eyes?” And the seed replied: “The deer shook me down”.
The hermit said unto the deer, “O deer, why did you shake down the seed?” The deer answered: “I did not wish to do it, but the owl called, frightened me, and I ran”. “O owl”, asked the hermit, “why did you frighten the deer?” The owl replied: “I called as I am accustomed to call – the cricket, too, called.”
Having heard the evidence, the judge said, “The cricket must replace the crushed parts of the fish and make it well”, as he (the cricket), had called and frightened the deer. The cricket was smaller and weaker than the owl or the deer, therefore had to bear the penalty.
Moral: Be just. Do not show your might against the weak.
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