A group of friends once planned an adventurous journey into the dense forests of India. Before they embarked on their trip, a wise elder gave them some advice.
“Hunger and thirst are inevitable when you travel through such wilderness,” he said. “But if you ever find yourselves with nothing to eat, survive on the grass, fruits, and leaves of the trees. The forests are home to many creatures, but I warn you, do not harm the baby elephants. They are beautiful, innocent, and plump, but if you kill one, its mother will bring a vengeance upon you like no other. She will find you, and she will not rest until you are punished. Respect the forest and its creatures, and you will live. Ignore this advice, and you are doomed.”
The friends laughed off the warning, eager to start their adventure. They ventured deep into the forest, surviving the first day on whatever food they had carried with them. But by the next day, hunger struck hard. They searched the wilderness for something to eat but found little to satisfy their growing desperation.
As they wandered through the dense trees, they stumbled upon a plump baby elephant grazing alone. It was a tempting sight. Despite the elder’s warnings, the group of friends, overwhelmed by hunger and greed, decided to kill the young elephant. They believed its mother was nowhere in sight, and in their arrogance, they didn’t think twice about the consequences.
One among the group, however, remembered the elder’s words. He pleaded with his friends not to kill the elephant, urging them to heed the warning. But the others, too consumed by their hunger, ignored his pleas. They caught the baby elephant, slaughtered it, and feasted on its flesh.
The young man who had protested refused to eat, choosing instead to nibble on leaves and berries. After the meal, the rest of his companions, satisfied and full, fell into a deep sleep.
It wasn’t long before the forest’s peace was shattered by the sound of thunderous footsteps. The baby elephant’s mother, sensing the loss of her child, had tracked the scent of blood. She appeared, roaring in grief and fury. Her eyes scanned the scene, landing on the lifeless remains of her baby and the bloodstains on the ground. Her heart-wrenching cry echoed through the forest, and in her rage, she sought out the culprits.
The young man, who hadn’t partaken in the meal, stood frozen in fear. But the mother elephant, with her keen sense of smell, quickly recognized that he bore no trace of her child’s flesh. She circled him, and then turned her attention to the sleeping friends.
Her fury knew no bounds as she sniffed each one of them, smelling the scent of her child on their breath. Without hesitation, she unleashed her wrath. Some she crushed beneath her massive feet, while others were torn apart by her powerful trunk. Her revenge was swift and brutal, leaving no one who had partaken in the crime alive.
The young man, the sole survivor, watched in horror and sorrow. The wise elder’s warning rang in his ears, and he knew now that the advice had been more than just a caution—it had been a prophecy. The price of cruelty was far greater than they had ever imagined.
Life Lesson
Cruelty and greed lead to inevitable destruction. When you harm the innocent, no matter how small, the consequences will find you. Injustice, like the scent of blood, reveals the oppressor and delivers the ultimate retribution.n.
Recent Stories
Rat and Camel Journey
Snake in Stomach
The Curious Runaway Bunny
