The Pigeon and the Crow
[The Danger of Greed]
42
A long time ago, the people of Benares were fond of setting
up bird houses. This was an act of generosity and kindness, done for the
comfort of the birds. It also made the people happy to hear the friendly birds
singing. The richest man in the city had a cook. He kept such a bird house near
the kitchen. In it lived a gentle and careful pigeon. The pigeon was so mild
that he did not eat meat, and careful enough to keep his distance from the
cook. He knew the cook roasted and boiled dead animals, including birds!
Each day, the pigeon would leave the bird house early in the
morning to search for food, and he returned only at night to sleep in the bird
house. He was quite contented with his calm and harmless life. Staying near the
pigeon was a crow that was quite a different sort of character. The crow ate
anything and everything, got excited easily, and was impulsive, often acting
without due considerations. Uncontented, he often got himself into trouble.
One day, the crow caught a whiff of delicious food cooking in
the rich man’s kitchen. He was so attracted by the aroma that he thought about
it endlessly. He decided that he must have the rich man’s meat at any cost. He
began to spy on the kitchen, figuring out a way to get some of the meat and
fish.
That evening, the pigeon returned with his little belly
satisfied, and contentedly entered his little home for the night. Seeing this,
the hungry crow thought: “Ah, wonderful! I can make use of this dull pigeon to
grab a delicious feast from the kitchen.”
The next morning, the crow followed the pigeon when he left
for the day. “Oh my friend, why are you following me?” asked the pigeon. “Sir,
I like you very much, and I admire your calm and steady way of life. From now on,
I would like to assist you and learn from you,” replied the crow. “Friend crow,
your lifestyle is much more exciting than mine. You would get bored following me
around. And you don’t even eat the same food as I. So how can you assist me?”
answered the pigeon.
“Well, when you go
each day to find your food, we will separate and I will search for mine. In the
evening, we will reunite to help and protect each other,” suggested the crow.
“That sounds fine to me. Now, you go and find your own food,” answered the
pigeon. As usual, the pigeon spent his day eating grass seeds. It took time to
patiently search for a few little grass seeds, but he was satisfied and
contented. On the other hand, the crow spent his day turning over cowdung
patties, so he could gobble up the worms and insects he found there. This was
fairly easy work, but he thought it would be even easier to steal from the rich
man’s kitchen. And no doubt the food would be better too!
When he was full, he went to the pigeon and said: “Sir
pigeon, you spend too much time searching for food. It is no good wasting the
whole day that way. Let us go home now.” But the pigeon kept on steadily eating
grass seeds, one by one. He was quite happy that way. At the end of the day,
the impatient crow followed the pigeon back to his bird house. They slept in it
together peacefully. They spent several days and nights in this manner.
One day, there was a delivery of many types of fresh meat and
fish. The cook hung them on hooks in the kitchen for storage. The crow saw this
and was overwhelmed by the sight of so much food. His desire soon became greed,
and the crow started plotting a way to get what he wanted. He decided to pretend
to be ill, and so spent the entire night groaning and moaning.
The next morning, the pigeon was ready to leave the bird
house. “Go without me, sir pigeon,” said the crow. “I’m sick. My stomach has
been giving me problems since last night.”
The pigeon replied: “My dear crow, that sounds strange. I’ve
never heard of a crow getting an upset stomach before. I have only heard that
they sometimes faint from hunger. I suspect you want to gobble up as much as
you can of the meat and fish in the kitchen. But it’s for humans, not crows.
Humans don’t eat pigeon food. Pigeons don’t eat crow food. And it would not be
wise for you to eat food meant for humans. It may even be dangerous! So come
with me as usual, and be satisfied with your crow food, sir crow!”
“I’m too sick, friend pigeon, I’m too sick. Go ahead without
me.”
“Very well, but your actions will speak louder than your
words. I warn you, don’t risk safety
for the sake of greed. Be patient until I return.” Then the
pigeon left for the day.
But the crow paid no attention to the pigeon. He thought only
about grabbing a big piece of fish, and was glad the pigeon had left. “Let him
eat grass seeds!” he thought. Meanwhile, the cook prepared the meat and fish in
a big stew pot. While it was cooking, he kept the lid slightly off, to allow
the steam to escape. The crow smelled the delicious fragrance in the rising
steam. Watching from the bird house, he saw the cook left the kitchen to take a
break from the heat. The crow saw that this was the chance he had been waiting
for. He flew into the kitchen and sat on the edge of the stew pot. First, he
looked for the biggest piece of fish he could find. Then, he stuck his head
inside and reached for it. But as he did this, he knocked the lid off! The
clattering sound brought the cook back into the kitchen at once. He saw the
crow standing on the edge of the pot with a fish much bigger than the bird, hanging
from his beak! Immediately, he closed the door and window of the kitchen. “This
food is for the rich man. I work for him, not for some mangy crow! I will teach
him a lesson he’ll never forget!” thought the cook. The poor crow could not
have picked a worse enemy, for this cook did not mind being cruel when he had
the upper hand. He took no pity at all on the clever crow. He grabbed the bird,
and plucked out all his feathers. The poor crow looked ridiculous without his
shiny black feathers. Next, the vengeful cook made a spicy paste from ginger, salt
and chilli peppers and rubbed it all over the crow’s pink sore skin. He then
put him on the floor of the bird house and laughed.
The crow sweated and suffered from the terrible burning pain.
He cried in pain all day long. In the evening, the pigeon returned. He was
shocked to see the terrible state his friend was in. “Obviously, you didn’t
listen to me at all. Your greed has done you in. I’m so sad there’s nothing I
can do to save you. And I’m afraid to stay in this bird house so close to that
cruel cook. I must leave at once!” said the pigeon.
The careful pigeon flew away in search of a safer bird house.
And the plucked and pasted crow died an agonising death.
The moral is ✏ Greed makes one deaf to sound
advice.
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