Chalaak Lomdi aur Bhookha Bagh

Long ago, in a dense and mysterious jungle, there lived a chalaak lomdi (clever fox) and a bhookha baagh (hungry tiger). The trees in the jungle were so tall that even suraj ki roshni (sunlight) barely reached the ground, and the jungle was filled with jeev-jantu (creatures). But these days, the jungle was filled with silence. The reason for this was a bhookha aur khatarnak baagh (hungry and dangerous tiger) who had made life difficult for the animals.

The tiger had not been able to hunt for several days. He had become weak, but his hunger was growing stronger with each passing day. One day, as he wandered in the middle of the jungle, frustrated by his hunger, his eyes fell upon a chalaak lomdi (clever fox), known for her wit and intelligence.

Baagh (tiger) (in a deep voice, looking at the lomdi): “Lomdi, I haven’t eaten in days. Today, I will eat you and satisfy my hunger.”

Lomdi (scared, but planning in her mind): “Maharaj, your hunger is indeed terrifying, but don’t you think I am too small a prey for you? If you eat me, your hunger won’t be satisfied. Why don’t I tell you about a much bigger and tastier prey?”

The tiger’s eyes gleamed with greed. He immediately agreed to the lomdi’s suggestion and asked her to lead him to this big prey.

Journey to the Pond

As the tiger and the lomdi made their way through the dense part of the jungle, the atmosphere around them became even more mysterious and eerie. The wind carried a strange scent, and the trees’ leaves rustled ominously. The baagh was hungry, while the lomdi was busy planning her next move, thinking about how she could save her life from the tiger.

Lomdi (walking slowly, to the baagh): “Maharaj, this part of the jungle is the deepest. Many animals have lost their way here. We should be careful.”

Baagh (controlling his hunger): “I fear nothing. Just take me to that bada shikaar (big prey).”

As they neared the pond, the baagh’s excitement was growing. He was imagining his large prey while the lomdi was plotting her next steps. When they finally reached the pond, the lomdi said:

Lomdi (pointing): “Maharaj, the big bhainsa (buffalo) lives across this pond. But I must tell you one thing. Inside this pond lives another tiger, much bigger and more dangerous than you.”

Baagh (surprised, but also angry): “What? A tiger stronger than me? I don’t see any other tiger in this pond.”

Lomdi (cleverly): “He hides inside the pond. If you look into the water, you’ll see him.”

The Tiger’s Dilemma

By now, the baagh had fallen into his own trap of greed. He looked into the pond’s water as the lomdi suggested. He saw his own reflection but thought it was the other tiger.

Baagh (roaring in anger): “How dare you challenge me? I will finish you now!”

Without thinking, the baagh jumped into the pond. As soon as he leapt into the water, the cold and deep pond made his body heavy. The more he tried to get out, the deeper he sank.

The Lomdi’s Victory

The lomdi watched the scene from afar, and a look of satisfaction spread across her face. She took a deep breath and thought:

Lomdi (to herself): “Greed and arrogance have brought this tiger to his end. Now, all the animals in the jungle are safe.”

The lomdi had outwitted the baagh using his own greed and arrogance against him. She had saved herself and the jungle from the tiger’s terror. Now, she could roam the jungle fearlessly, and the other animals could live in peace without fear of the baagh.

Final Lesson

But the story doesn’t end here. News of the baagh’s demise spread quickly throughout the jungle. All the animals praised the lomdi’s intelligence. However, the lomdi also learned a valuable lesson from this incident. She realized that relying on cleverness alone could be dangerous. She must use her wisdom at the right time and for the right reasons.

Lomdi (looking up at the sky): “I achieved a great victory today, but I must learn to use my knowledge wisely. In this jungle, not just cleverness, but truth and honesty are also necessary for survival.”

Moral of the Story:

This story teaches us that sometimes intelligence is more powerful than strength. But we must also remember to use cleverness cautiously and at the right time. Lalach (greed) and ahankaar (arrogance) always lead to downfall.