Jataka Tales : The Greedy Crow

Let us enjoy reading this one of Jataka Tales of The Greedy Crow.

Once upon a time there was a fine pigeon who used to live on a nest close to a kitchen. The cooks of the kitchen used to like her very much and often used to feed her grain. She liked the place and her life was fine.

One day a crow saw the pigeon and saw how it was getting wonderful food from the kitchen. Then one day she made friendship with the pigeon, and under the pretext of friendship, she somehow made the pigeon to share the nest with the crow.

The pigeon then told her that they could spend time together discussing politics, religion etc but when it came to food both had their own ways.

So she suggested the crow to search for her own food.

But the crow was impatient and the very reason she had made friends with the pigeon was for the food. The crow wanted meat and all the pigeon got was grains from the kitchen.

It could not wait any longer and ultimately decided that she visit the kitchen directly for the food.

Thinking so, it stealthily crept down the chimney into the kitchen. She got the smell of a fish being curried on the pan. She got greedy and went ahead and tried to get the fish. But in the process she disturbed a ladle, and created a noise. This alerted the cook who was in the neighboring room and he caught hold of the crow and killed it.

Moral: Greed Numbs intelligence.

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