Story The Tree That Acted Like a Hunter ( 21 )

The Tree That Acted Like a Hunter

[Impatience]

Long, long ago, an antelope lived deep in the forest and ate fruits which fell from trees. There was a tree which he particularly favoured. In the same area lived a hunter who captured and killed antelopes and deer. He would use fruits as bait to catch them. Early one morning, the antelope came to his favourite tree in search of fruits to eat. He did not know that the hunter was hiding in the tree with his noose-trap ready. Even though hewas hungry, the antelope was very careful. He was always on the lookout for any possible signs of danger. When he noticed the delicious-looking fruits at the foot of his favourite tree, he wondered why no animals had eaten them yet, and so was afraid something wasn’t right.

The hidden hunter saw the antelope approaching from a distance. Seeing that the animal was careful and worried that he wouldn’t catch him, he began to throw fruits in the direction of the antelope, to lure him into coming closer. But this was a pretty smart antelope. He knew that fruits only dropped straight down from trees and not horizontally. Since these fruits were flying towards him, he knew there was danger. He examined the tree very carefully, and saw the hunter in the branches. However, he pretended not to see him. “Oh my dear fruit tree, you used to give me fruits by dropping them straight to the ground.

Now, you are acting abnormally and throwing them towards me! Since you have changed

your habits, I too will change mine. I will get my fruits from a different tree from now on,

one that doesn’t behave so abnormally!” said the antelope to the tree. The hunter realised his mistake and saw that the antelope had outsmarted him. “You may escape this time, you clever antelope, but I’ll get you next time for sure!” he yelled out angrily. The antelope realised that in his anger, the hunter had given himself away a second time. So it spoke to the tree again. “Not only do you not act like a tree, you act like a hunter! Foolish

humans who live by killing animals. You do not understand that killing the innocent brings harm only to oneself, in this life and the next by taking rebirth in a hell world. It is clear that we antelopes are far wiser than you. As we consume only fruits, we remain untainted and blameless of any killing, and so avoid the harmful results.” With that, the careful antelope leaped into the thick forest and was gone.

The moral is ✏ The wise remain pure and blameless.

Posted by irawan

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