Hi!!! Today I'll be telling the story of the Four Friends. This story is from the Panchatantra. I love this story because it displays a funny style of wit. Let's get started...
Once, in a rural village, there lived four good friends. Their names were Ramu, Shamu, Kallu and Lallu (Funny names, right? HaHaHa). Kallu and Lallu were brothers. They were the best of friends. They all went to a very well-known gurukul in their village. The gurukul was very esteemed because they taught many mystical arts. Since the four friends went to the same academy, you must think that they all learnt cool abilities. For instance, Ramu learnt how to fix anything that is broken. Shamu learnt how to heal any wound, without touching. Kallu learnt how to attach a fallen leaf back onto a plant and let it live again. But Lallu didn't know how to do any of these cool things. He was considered a dud. He didn't care for any studies; he just cared about his survival. He believed that common sense was the only knowledge a man needed. Everybody laughed at him when he tried to fix a broken earthen pot. Everybody chuckled when he tried to heal a cut. Everybody chortled when he tried to lift a small leaf off the ground and snap it back onto the plant. Lallu wasn't good at any kind of studies. Everyone thought that Lallu would be a failure in life.
After completing their studies, Ramu, Shamu and Kallu decided that they would leave their homes to go on the path of life. They were going to seek their fortune. When they were packing their bags, Lallu shouted, "Hey!!!! I'm Kallu's brother!!! I'm your responsibility!!!!" Ramu and Shamu stared at each other, awkwardly. They said together, "We don't want you to come with us. You are a fool! We shall leave you behind." Lallu was sad. He felt as though he would never be able to seek his own fortune. But just then, Kallu interrupted, "He is my brother. We must take him on our journey. He will suffer otherwise." Then, Ramu and Shamu realized that his life simply shouldn't go to waste; everyone can only have one life. "Sure, you can come along. After all, you are our friend too!!" exclaimed Ramu and Shamu. They heartily laughed - with Lallu, not at Lallu.
The day of their departure came in a jiffy. Waving bye to their families, they set out, together, on the path of life. They joked about, sang songs, and altogether had one heck of a time!!
The next day, Ramu, Shamu, Kallu and Lallu were beginning to get tired. Even though they were tired, they resumed walking. By lunchtime, they were exhausted. They continued to walk to find a place to sit and eat their food. As they started to falter and stumble, Kallu saw four large rocks next to each other, all perfect for sitting on. They fumbled and stumbled their way to the mounds of stone. Resting their sore feet, they opened their tins and cans of food and feasted on their beautifully-cooked food. "Mmmmm... Yummmm... So delicious!!" They exclaimed in awe. Just then, Shamu spotted a pile of bones in front of his stone. "Whoaa... What is this? There are bones over here! Guys, come here!! I want you to see this!" They ran to the bone site, and saw the pile of bones. Kallu immediately said, "These are the bones of a lion!!" everyone gasped in shock! "It must have died from starvation, a very long time ago." Then, Shamu suggested that they try their magic abilities in the heap of bones. Everyone except Lallu agreed (Maybe because he didn't know any of them!).
Suddenly, Ramu said, "I'll go first. I can arrange the bones and fix them properly to each other!" Ramu chanted some strange words and mantras to fix all of the pieces back together. Suddenly, a bright light was emitted from the bones. They started to hover in the air. Lallu started to run about in terror. Then, one by one, the bones started to stick to each other. The skeleton of a lion was formed instantly!! All four of them were amazed!!
Then, Shamu said, "I'll be able to give it back it's organs and flesh! Then, it will look like a real lion!!" Again, the same reaction was given. Everybody but Lallu approved of it. But, this time Shamu asked Lallu, "Oy Lallu!! Since you do not possess any skill of your own, will you judge who's skill is the greatest of them all?" Lallu reluctantly agreed. Then, uttering some mantras and magic words, Shamu created flesh for the lion. Then the tissues. Then the organs. Within a few minutes, a complete lion was formed!! All of them were shocked!!! A dead lion was lying in front of their eyes!!
Next Kallu was getting ready to chant his spell. It could breathe life into the lion!! Suddenly, Lallu said, "Oh My God!!! You guys are bringing the lion back from the dead!! WAIT!! You guys would be eaten up by the lion if you make it live!!" Everyone laughed. "Oy Lallu, no one will die!! We can fight a petty lion. Anyways, it just came from heaven. It would've had a feast there." Lallu was still concerned. " Wait! I don't want to die! I'll climb up this tree, then you can start your chant!" Lallu scampered up the nearest tree. He shouted, " START!!!" Then, Kallu did a lot of chants, and then the body of the lion rose up into the air. Its eyes started twitching. Its stomach inflated, then it deflated. Again, and again, and again. It started to breathe. Then, it opened it's crimson eyes. The lion was set on the floor, and it let out a gigantic ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The three boys were frightened. They were too scared to move!! Then, the lion turned its furry head, until its eyes were staring right at the arrogant little fools. It pounced on them, and Lallu, from the safety of the tree, saw his friends' bodies being ripped into pieces, and being wolfed down by the beast that they brought back from the dead.
As the lion walked away, Lallu came down from his tree. He stepped down from the last branch and saw that the whole area was repainted with a red colour. It was the blood of his dear friends and brother. He walked forward from the safety of his tree and saw a bush. He saw white bones. Tears rolled from his eyes, as he sat to see his friends' bones. He thought, "They met their desired fate." And so, Lallu travels on, not caring about the traumatizing experience he saw with his own two eyes.
Moral: A wise man thinks before he acts.
Thanks for reading the Tale of the Four Friends!! Please follow to receive updates about when I post!!
Once, in a rural village, there lived four good friends. Their names were Ramu, Shamu, Kallu and Lallu (Funny names, right? HaHaHa). Kallu and Lallu were brothers. They were the best of friends. They all went to a very well-known gurukul in their village. The gurukul was very esteemed because they taught many mystical arts. Since the four friends went to the same academy, you must think that they all learnt cool abilities. For instance, Ramu learnt how to fix anything that is broken. Shamu learnt how to heal any wound, without touching. Kallu learnt how to attach a fallen leaf back onto a plant and let it live again. But Lallu didn't know how to do any of these cool things. He was considered a dud. He didn't care for any studies; he just cared about his survival. He believed that common sense was the only knowledge a man needed. Everybody laughed at him when he tried to fix a broken earthen pot. Everybody chuckled when he tried to heal a cut. Everybody chortled when he tried to lift a small leaf off the ground and snap it back onto the plant. Lallu wasn't good at any kind of studies. Everyone thought that Lallu would be a failure in life.
After completing their studies, Ramu, Shamu and Kallu decided that they would leave their homes to go on the path of life. They were going to seek their fortune. When they were packing their bags, Lallu shouted, "Hey!!!! I'm Kallu's brother!!! I'm your responsibility!!!!" Ramu and Shamu stared at each other, awkwardly. They said together, "We don't want you to come with us. You are a fool! We shall leave you behind." Lallu was sad. He felt as though he would never be able to seek his own fortune. But just then, Kallu interrupted, "He is my brother. We must take him on our journey. He will suffer otherwise." Then, Ramu and Shamu realized that his life simply shouldn't go to waste; everyone can only have one life. "Sure, you can come along. After all, you are our friend too!!" exclaimed Ramu and Shamu. They heartily laughed - with Lallu, not at Lallu.
The day of their departure came in a jiffy. Waving bye to their families, they set out, together, on the path of life. They joked about, sang songs, and altogether had one heck of a time!!
The next day, Ramu, Shamu, Kallu and Lallu were beginning to get tired. Even though they were tired, they resumed walking. By lunchtime, they were exhausted. They continued to walk to find a place to sit and eat their food. As they started to falter and stumble, Kallu saw four large rocks next to each other, all perfect for sitting on. They fumbled and stumbled their way to the mounds of stone. Resting their sore feet, they opened their tins and cans of food and feasted on their beautifully-cooked food. "Mmmmm... Yummmm... So delicious!!" They exclaimed in awe. Just then, Shamu spotted a pile of bones in front of his stone. "Whoaa... What is this? There are bones over here! Guys, come here!! I want you to see this!" They ran to the bone site, and saw the pile of bones. Kallu immediately said, "These are the bones of a lion!!" everyone gasped in shock! "It must have died from starvation, a very long time ago." Then, Shamu suggested that they try their magic abilities in the heap of bones. Everyone except Lallu agreed (Maybe because he didn't know any of them!).
Suddenly, Ramu said, "I'll go first. I can arrange the bones and fix them properly to each other!" Ramu chanted some strange words and mantras to fix all of the pieces back together. Suddenly, a bright light was emitted from the bones. They started to hover in the air. Lallu started to run about in terror. Then, one by one, the bones started to stick to each other. The skeleton of a lion was formed instantly!! All four of them were amazed!!
Then, Shamu said, "I'll be able to give it back it's organs and flesh! Then, it will look like a real lion!!" Again, the same reaction was given. Everybody but Lallu approved of it. But, this time Shamu asked Lallu, "Oy Lallu!! Since you do not possess any skill of your own, will you judge who's skill is the greatest of them all?" Lallu reluctantly agreed. Then, uttering some mantras and magic words, Shamu created flesh for the lion. Then the tissues. Then the organs. Within a few minutes, a complete lion was formed!! All of them were shocked!!! A dead lion was lying in front of their eyes!!
Next Kallu was getting ready to chant his spell. It could breathe life into the lion!! Suddenly, Lallu said, "Oh My God!!! You guys are bringing the lion back from the dead!! WAIT!! You guys would be eaten up by the lion if you make it live!!" Everyone laughed. "Oy Lallu, no one will die!! We can fight a petty lion. Anyways, it just came from heaven. It would've had a feast there." Lallu was still concerned. " Wait! I don't want to die! I'll climb up this tree, then you can start your chant!" Lallu scampered up the nearest tree. He shouted, " START!!!" Then, Kallu did a lot of chants, and then the body of the lion rose up into the air. Its eyes started twitching. Its stomach inflated, then it deflated. Again, and again, and again. It started to breathe. Then, it opened it's crimson eyes. The lion was set on the floor, and it let out a gigantic ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The three boys were frightened. They were too scared to move!! Then, the lion turned its furry head, until its eyes were staring right at the arrogant little fools. It pounced on them, and Lallu, from the safety of the tree, saw his friends' bodies being ripped into pieces, and being wolfed down by the beast that they brought back from the dead.
As the lion walked away, Lallu came down from his tree. He stepped down from the last branch and saw that the whole area was repainted with a red colour. It was the blood of his dear friends and brother. He walked forward from the safety of his tree and saw a bush. He saw white bones. Tears rolled from his eyes, as he sat to see his friends' bones. He thought, "They met their desired fate." And so, Lallu travels on, not caring about the traumatizing experience he saw with his own two eyes.
Moral: A wise man thinks before he acts.
Thanks for reading the Tale of the Four Friends!! Please follow to receive updates about when I post!!
Good 1 Pradyun :) even I remember this story from panchatantra :)
ReplyDeleteThank You Raksha Moushi!!!!!!!
DeleteVery well written pradyun ��keep more coming ��
ReplyDeleteThank You Kruthika!!!!!!!!
Delete