The Story of Two Fish and a Frog
Once upon a time, in a tranquil pond lived two fish, Shatabuddhi and Sahasrabuddhi, and a frog named Ekabuddhi. The fish boasted greatly of their intelligence, while the frog never prided himself on his. Despite this difference, they were close friends, often swimming and playing together in the pond. They always faced any problem that arose as a united front. One day, some fishermen were passing by the riverbank. They noticed the pond teeming with fish. "We will return tomorrow morning and catch many fish," they announced.
The frog, Ekabuddhi, heard their conversation. He raced to his friends, warning them of the fishermen's intentions. "You must do something to save yourselves," he urged. The fish replied, "We cannot leave our ancestral home because of the fear of fishermen." "We don't need to fear," they said. "Our intelligence will protect us." Ekabuddhi, however, said, "I know about another pond connected to this one." He urged the other creatures in the pond to join him, but none were willing to leave, trusting in Shatabuddhi and Sahasrabuddhi to protect them.
The frog insisted, "Come with me. The fishermen will arrive soon." Sahasrabuddhi retorted, "He knows a hiding place in the pond." Shatabuddhi echoed, "He knows a secret hiding place." "The fishermen have a large net," argued the frog. "You cannot escape them!" but the fish, overconfident, ignored his advice. Ekabuddhi, along with his wife, moved to the other pond that night. The fish mocked Ekabuddhi's concerns.
The following morning, the fishermen arrived with their nets. They cast their nets into the pond. All the creatures panicked and tried to escape, but the fishermen's net was too large. Many fish were caught. Shatabuddhi and Sahasrabuddhi, though they tried to escape, were also captured. By the time they were pulled from the pond, they were dead. Because they were the largest fish, the fishermen kept them separate. The other fish were placed in a basket, while Shatabuddhi and Sahasrabuddhi were carried on the fishermen's shoulders. As they approached the other pond, Ekabuddhi saw his friends. He was deeply saddened by their plight and lamented to his wife, "If only they had listened to me, they would be alive today."
The Lesson: Never be arrogant about your intelligence. One day, that arrogance can cost you your life.
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