Story:
Once upon a time, there was a clever crow who lived in a large forest. One day, the crow found a piece of delicious cheese lying on the ground. The crow picked up the cheese and flew to a tree to enjoy his find.
As the crow was about to peck at the cheese, a hungry fox came along. The fox saw the cheese and, knowing that he could not reach it, devised a plan to get it from the crow.
The fox approached the tree where the crow was perched and began to flatter the crow. He said, “Oh, beautiful crow, I have heard so much about your melodious voice. I’m sure your singing is as lovely as your appearance. Could you please sing a song for me?”
The crow, flattered by the fox’s praise, puffed up with pride and began to sing. As the crow opened his beak and sang, the piece of cheese fell from his beak and landed on the ground.
The sly fox quickly grabbed the cheese and ate it. After savoring the cheese, the fox turned to the crow and said, “Thank you for the treat! You sing beautifully, but you should be more cautious about being flattered. Not everyone who praises you has good intentions.”
With that, the fox walked away, leaving the crow to regret his vanity and the loss of the cheese.
Moral of the Story:
The moral of the story is “Beware of flattery.” It teaches that people who flatter you may have ulterior motives and that it’s important to be cautious of those who offer excessive praise.
This story from the Panchatantra is a timeless lesson about the dangers of vanity and the importance of discerning true intentions behind compliments.