2.THE MICE THAT SET ELEPHANT FREE
Not to ignore the ones less mightier than you
When life is near an end
The presence of a friend
Brings happiness, allying
The living with the dying
Harshadpur was once a busy town. It was ruled by Raja Rajat sigh. Alas the once reigning town was now in shambles. Constant invasion by the enemy kingdoms had left the palace and the place in ruins. People had departed carrying their belongings to other safer places. The invading army had routed the places and left it to rot and gone for their other escapades.
The place now deserted with broken palaces and deserted fields gradually started to be occupied by a huge colony of rodents- the mice. They felt it’s a nice place to burrow and hide and bring up generations after generations of families. As we know when mice are left unchecked how fast they grow. Thus the fertile mice in thousands had now made it their cozy home in the abandoned Harshadpur.
The mice had enough to eat, hide and frolic around. For long they had not seen any calamity in their happy living.
Calamity struck unforeseen, in the form of a large herd of elephants.
Shakandi the king elephant with his herd of two hundred elephants under him was frantically searching for fresh water as the river they were frequenting had completely dried up this summer due to scorching heat and no rain during the preceding monsoon.
Already he got the news of little newborn calf having died due to thirst. He could see slowly the strong ones in his herd too loosing their strength. Shakandi being the king felt he is failing his duty of taking care of his subjects and was desperate to find a good water hole. It was than he got the news of the abandoned water hole at Harshadpur.The source was authentic as it was told by a peacock friend of his, who generally have a good sense of presence of water. Saryu the peacock had told him clearly how to reach the place. To go west cut across a sparsely wooded enclave than walk along the barren land for five miles than reach the abandoned township of Harsahdpur and little away from the town you can find the water hole told Sarayu.
Shakandhi decided immediately to take his herd there. He called for a meeting of his ministers and asked them to break the News to rest of the subjects of the journey to be undertaken as the day breaks the next day. The elephants generally disciplined and having herd mentality of following the leader soon got ready for the days journey as their master commanded. Walking steadily from early hours of morning in their slow steady gait the elephants reached Harshadpur just when the sun was setting and it was time for the rodents to come out of their holes in search of food. Focused as the elephants advanced swaying and sniffing the air for water, little did they realize they are squashing a huge colony of mice under their foot. As the elephants advanced the mice in hundreds lay mauled and maimed. The rest cringing with fear tried to run back to their burrows. Some of them however squashed in their houses itself by the advancing herd of elephants.
The mice were absolutely shaken. Never had they come across in their happy go life such a trauma. As the elephants left, the place was like a huge battlefield with their near and dear ones dead and mutilated. The rest of the mice gathered together and went to their king Mooshikan residing in his palace in a mound on other side of the hillock.
Mooshikan was resting when he saw a huge battalion of his subjects coming speedily towards his palace with a disturbed expression on their faces. Mooshikan heard the agitated account of his subjects. Mooshikan felt, this requires immediate action. He put on his mantle and collected few of his close aides and left in direction of the elephant herd. Soon he caught up with them. It was not difficult for him to find the elephant king Shakandhi tall and majestic he stood out from rest of the herd.
Mooshikan went to elephant king, climbed a tree near by to catch his attention. As soon as he caught his attention Mooshikan bowed deeply and addressed Shikandhi
`O wise king, your groups strength, wisdom and shrewdness is known in the entire prapanjha. You are the king of such a mighty group. I can understand as a leader your strength and wisdom will be unparallel. Please kindly accept mine and my subject’s humble obedience to you. I have come here to do a small request to you majesty. My kingdom Mooshikapuri lies along way of your travels in the town Harshadpur. We have been living peacefully their for the last two eons of time .It saddens me greatly to inform you my subjects were put to great hardship and many of them dead while your subjects were crossing our kingdom. I presume it must have happened unawares. We are but small and helpless against your might. Nevertheless I request you majesty to take another route while you depart and spare us small creatures from getting killed for no fault of ours’
On hearing this Shikindha looked thoughtfully for a while at the small Mooshikhan.He thought `What this little Mooshikhan has requested me is only just. We should not harm any other creatures with out reason, I should direct my herd along a different path’. So thinking the wise one told Mooshikhan ` Dear friend high or low we are all the sons of one father. I give you my word, I will instruct my subjects to take another path while departing so that no harm comes to your kingdom or subjects anymore’
Mooshikan left happy the matter having settled in such a just way by the wise king Shikandha.
Many summers passed after this event both the elephants and mice were leading their life peacefully. Quite often putting their ears in their burrow under the ground the mice could hear the heavy tread of the elephants moving close by to the water hole to quench their thirst. But the elephants kept their word and never came along Mooshikapuri and never disturbed the tiny rodents. As things were sailing as smoothly as a cloud in the clear sky one day again it was dusk and sun was painting the sky in crimson red, all the birds were returning to their nest to roost and the rodents were out of the burrows for the days business. Suddenly the evening rhythm was disturbed by huge and alarming trumpeting sounds of a male tuskers cry. All the animals twitched their ears towards the sound. So too the Mooshikahn the king of the rodents. He immediately recognized them as the cries of Shikandha the king elephant who was so kind to accede to his request.
Yes Sikandha the tusker and his able ministers in the herd were in great trouble. These strong handsome tuskers always used to lead the pack. This had caught the eye of the wicked poachers. They thought if only we catch few of these tuskers, wrench their tusk and sell it, it could be converted to good profit. So thinking the poachers had laid a clever trap where in the elephants were caught in ropes and loops in the shallow trenches and were trapped there in a terrible manner. Now the elephants knew their captures would come only as the daybreaks. However more they were trying to come out of the loops the tighter the knots were becoming. Capture and death seem to be imminent.
Not to ignore the ones less mightier than you
When life is near an end
The presence of a friend
Brings happiness, allying
The living with the dying
Harshadpur was once a busy town. It was ruled by Raja Rajat sigh. Alas the once reigning town was now in shambles. Constant invasion by the enemy kingdoms had left the palace and the place in ruins. People had departed carrying their belongings to other safer places. The invading army had routed the places and left it to rot and gone for their other escapades.
The place now deserted with broken palaces and deserted fields gradually started to be occupied by a huge colony of rodents- the mice. They felt it’s a nice place to burrow and hide and bring up generations after generations of families. As we know when mice are left unchecked how fast they grow. Thus the fertile mice in thousands had now made it their cozy home in the abandoned Harshadpur.
The mice had enough to eat, hide and frolic around. For long they had not seen any calamity in their happy living.
Calamity struck unforeseen, in the form of a large herd of elephants.
Shakandi the king elephant with his herd of two hundred elephants under him was frantically searching for fresh water as the river they were frequenting had completely dried up this summer due to scorching heat and no rain during the preceding monsoon.
Already he got the news of little newborn calf having died due to thirst. He could see slowly the strong ones in his herd too loosing their strength. Shakandi being the king felt he is failing his duty of taking care of his subjects and was desperate to find a good water hole. It was than he got the news of the abandoned water hole at Harshadpur.The source was authentic as it was told by a peacock friend of his, who generally have a good sense of presence of water. Saryu the peacock had told him clearly how to reach the place. To go west cut across a sparsely wooded enclave than walk along the barren land for five miles than reach the abandoned township of Harsahdpur and little away from the town you can find the water hole told Sarayu.
Shakandhi decided immediately to take his herd there. He called for a meeting of his ministers and asked them to break the News to rest of the subjects of the journey to be undertaken as the day breaks the next day. The elephants generally disciplined and having herd mentality of following the leader soon got ready for the days journey as their master commanded. Walking steadily from early hours of morning in their slow steady gait the elephants reached Harshadpur just when the sun was setting and it was time for the rodents to come out of their holes in search of food. Focused as the elephants advanced swaying and sniffing the air for water, little did they realize they are squashing a huge colony of mice under their foot. As the elephants advanced the mice in hundreds lay mauled and maimed. The rest cringing with fear tried to run back to their burrows. Some of them however squashed in their houses itself by the advancing herd of elephants.
The mice were absolutely shaken. Never had they come across in their happy go life such a trauma. As the elephants left, the place was like a huge battlefield with their near and dear ones dead and mutilated. The rest of the mice gathered together and went to their king Mooshikan residing in his palace in a mound on other side of the hillock.
Mooshikan was resting when he saw a huge battalion of his subjects coming speedily towards his palace with a disturbed expression on their faces. Mooshikan heard the agitated account of his subjects. Mooshikan felt, this requires immediate action. He put on his mantle and collected few of his close aides and left in direction of the elephant herd. Soon he caught up with them. It was not difficult for him to find the elephant king Shakandhi tall and majestic he stood out from rest of the herd.
Mooshikan went to elephant king, climbed a tree near by to catch his attention. As soon as he caught his attention Mooshikan bowed deeply and addressed Shikandhi
`O wise king, your groups strength, wisdom and shrewdness is known in the entire prapanjha. You are the king of such a mighty group. I can understand as a leader your strength and wisdom will be unparallel. Please kindly accept mine and my subject’s humble obedience to you. I have come here to do a small request to you majesty. My kingdom Mooshikapuri lies along way of your travels in the town Harshadpur. We have been living peacefully their for the last two eons of time .It saddens me greatly to inform you my subjects were put to great hardship and many of them dead while your subjects were crossing our kingdom. I presume it must have happened unawares. We are but small and helpless against your might. Nevertheless I request you majesty to take another route while you depart and spare us small creatures from getting killed for no fault of ours’
On hearing this Shikindha looked thoughtfully for a while at the small Mooshikhan.He thought `What this little Mooshikhan has requested me is only just. We should not harm any other creatures with out reason, I should direct my herd along a different path’. So thinking the wise one told Mooshikhan ` Dear friend high or low we are all the sons of one father. I give you my word, I will instruct my subjects to take another path while departing so that no harm comes to your kingdom or subjects anymore’
Mooshikan left happy the matter having settled in such a just way by the wise king Shikandha.
Many summers passed after this event both the elephants and mice were leading their life peacefully. Quite often putting their ears in their burrow under the ground the mice could hear the heavy tread of the elephants moving close by to the water hole to quench their thirst. But the elephants kept their word and never came along Mooshikapuri and never disturbed the tiny rodents. As things were sailing as smoothly as a cloud in the clear sky one day again it was dusk and sun was painting the sky in crimson red, all the birds were returning to their nest to roost and the rodents were out of the burrows for the days business. Suddenly the evening rhythm was disturbed by huge and alarming trumpeting sounds of a male tuskers cry. All the animals twitched their ears towards the sound. So too the Mooshikahn the king of the rodents. He immediately recognized them as the cries of Shikandha the king elephant who was so kind to accede to his request.
Yes Sikandha the tusker and his able ministers in the herd were in great trouble. These strong handsome tuskers always used to lead the pack. This had caught the eye of the wicked poachers. They thought if only we catch few of these tuskers, wrench their tusk and sell it, it could be converted to good profit. So thinking the poachers had laid a clever trap where in the elephants were caught in ropes and loops in the shallow trenches and were trapped there in a terrible manner. Now the elephants knew their captures would come only as the daybreaks. However more they were trying to come out of the loops the tighter the knots were becoming. Capture and death seem to be imminent.
posted by Rama Venkataraman at 1:34 AM
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