The stag and the lion

One day a stag went to a pond to quench his thirst. It was a beautiful pond with crystal clear water. When the stag approached the pond, there was not a single wave to disturb the stillness of water.

His eyes fell on his own reflection in the still water. He felt immensely proud of his antlers. He watched the majesty and beauty of it with adoring eyes. He marveled at the several branches of the antler and felt very proud of himself.

But the entire reflection didn’t impress him. He hated his slender legs and the shapeless hoofs. The foolish stag even cursed his legs without realizing what he was doing.

Just then a lion appeared on the scene. Frightened, the stag took to his heels. His much-hated legs weren’t beautiful, but they were more than capable of speeding him to safety. But unfortunately for the stag, his much-valued antlers got stuck in the branches of a thicket. The stag struggled desperately to free his antlers as the lion came closer and closer. He cried bitterly.

‘How wrong I was to curse my slender legs and delicate hoofs which have served me so well. How wrong I was to be proud of my large antlers which will now bring me to my ruin.’

But the new found wisdom didn’t help. The lion pounced on the stag and made him his food.