Page 26 - Moral Stories Vol 1

On the banks of the Ganga, there was a fig tree. In the hollow of the tree, there lived a blind old vulture named Jaradgava. The birds on the tree felt sorry for him and shared their food with him.
The old vulture was touched by their kindness and decided to dutifully protect the birds’ young ones, when the birds went away.
One day a cat named Dirghakarna passed by. The little birds got scared seeing the cat approaching them. The vulture woke up from their cries.
The vulture asked, “Who are you? Be off! Or I’ll slay you”.
The cat got scared but took courage to speak up.
She said, “Sir, please don’t get angry. May I first explain why I am here?”
The cat started explaining, “My name is Dirghakarna. Though Iam a cat, I do not eat meat. I do not kill anyone. I have heard about your wisdom and your learning and so have come here to learn from you”. Cat: “O wise bird, would you kill your guest who comes to you as a disciple?”
Vulture: “Alas, I am sorry for my words. Cats like meat and there are little birds here and that is the reason that I doubted you”.
The old vulture believed the cat and made friends with him. The cat lived in the hollow with the vulture.
After some time had passed, each day the cat stole the little birds and devoured them in the tree hollow. When the birds returned home, they found some little birds missing. They started searching for their young ones.
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