A Short Story

Once upon a
time there was a crow and his wife who had built a nest
in a banyan tree. A big snake crawled into the hollow
trunk and ate up the chicks as they were hatched. The
crow did not want to move, since he loved the tree dearly.
So he went to his friend the jackal for advice. A plan of
action was devised. The crow and his wife jew abo"t in
implementation. As the wife approached a pond, she saw
the women of the king's court bathing, with pearls,
necklaces, gems, garments, and a golden chain laying on
the chair. The crow-hen seized the golden chain in her
beak and jew toward the banyan tree with the eunuchs
in pursuit. When she reached the tree, she dropped the
chain into the hole. As the kings men climbed the tree for the chain, they saw
the swelling hood of
the cobra. So they killed the snake with their clubs.
retrieved the golden chain, and went back to the pond.
And the crow ami his wife lived happily
ever after.