In Magadha, there was a forest called Champakavati.

The forest got this name because there were many champaka trees there.

There in that forest, lived a deer and a crow.

They were friends.

It was a very healthy and plump deer because fresh water and good grass were in abundance in that forest.

Once, a jackal saw this deer.

Jackals generally hunt on small animals.

But when he saw this deer, his mouth started watering for the flesh of this deer.

But he didn’t have the strength to attack and kill the deer.

So he thought, how can I have the flesh of this deer?

I am dying to taste it.

He approached the deer and said: hello friend.

The deer asked: who are you? the deer had never seen a jackal before.

The Jackal said: I am a Jackal, all alone in this forest, feeling very lonely and dejected.

I don’t have anyone, will you be my friend?

Living without good friends is like death itself.

Can I be your friend, will you take me wherever you go?

Deer agreed.

At sunset, they both went to the tree under which the deer used to spend the night.

The crow, his original friend, also lived on that tree.

The crow asked the deer: who is this?

Deer said: this is a jackal, he wants to be our friend.

Crow said: but we don’t know him, who he is, what his nature is, whether he is good or bad?

How can we accept him as our friend?

You should never become friends with someone who has come all of a sudden.

You should become close to someone only after you know well about him.

You also should be very careful about who is going to be your friend because there are both good and bad people in the world.

That’s why we have police, army, courts, judges, jails.

Bad people should be caught and punished so that they reform and become good people.

The jackal told the crow: when you met the deer for the first time, did you know whether he was good or not?

When the deer met you first, he knew nothing about you.

Still you became friends.

Friendship is something that develops over a period of time as you interact with each other.

The crow did not have any reply for this.

The jackal also started living with them.

He followed the deer wherever he went looking for an opportunity.

One day the jackal told him: I know a place where there is very tasty grass.

I will take you there.

The innocent deer believed and went with him.

It was a place where a hunter used to cast his net to catch animals.

The deer got trapped in that net.

He cried out to the jackal: please save me, please save me, I am trapped, the hunter will soon come and kill me.

Jackal said: I am so sorry, the strings of these net are made of leather.

I am a very spiritual person.

Today is Saturday.

I can not touch leather on Saturdays.

I am so sorry.

I can not bite on leather on Saturdays.

Tomorrow morning, I will release you from this net.

The jackal was only giving an excuse, we know that.

He actually wanted the deer to get caught and killed.

After the hunter takes away chunks of meat, still there will bones and meat sticking to bones which he can relish upon.

When do you know whether someone is a good friend or not?

In times of trouble.

When do you know whether someone is brave or not?

when there is threat to life or unsafe situations.

When do you know whether someone is honest or not?

After you lend him something.

When do you know whether your relatives are good or not?

If they stay with you even when you don’t have money or position.

A good friend or good relative is someone who will be by your side during good times and also when there is bad time for you.

As the crow did not see both of them coming back at sunset, he started looking around.

When he saw the trapped deer and the jackal waiting by the side, he understood what was going on.

What does this show?

The deer did not do anything wrong.

He only blindly trusted the jackal who he thought was his friend.

He didn’t do any harm to the jackal.

Still the jackal cheated him.

So you have to be careful.

Just because you are good with everyone, it does not mean that everyone will be good with you.

There are some people who would talk very nicely to you, but behind your back, they will talk bad things about you.

Be very careful about such people.

They will land you in trouble sooner or later.

Bad people will cause you harm some way or the other.

You know charcoal, if it is hot, it will burn your hand.

Even if it not hot, it will make your hand black.

Bad people will always cause you harm.

Never go near them.

They are like mosquitoes, they will act very politely.

Mosquitoes look very humble and harmless.

They don’t bare their teeth at you or roar at you.

They don’t try to scare you.

They just fly around looking so harmless.

They even sing music in your ears.

But then, they will suddenly bite you and suck your blood, and give you all kinds of diseases.

Evil people are also like this.

Bad people, their words will be so sweet.

But they have lethal poison in their mind.

The crow told the deer: now the hunter will come.

You pretend that you are already dead.

When I make a sound you get up and run.

The hunter came.

He saw the deer and said: oh! it is already dead.

And he started opening the net carelessly.

As the net was removed, the crow gave the signal.

The deer got up and ran away.

The hunter threw this spear after him.

It went and hit the jackal and he died on the spot.

If you do good deeds, you will get comforts and enjoyments.

If you do bad deeds, then you will face troubles and problems.