Vishnu Sharma | India
The Jackal's Strategy
A cunning jackal discovers a dead elephant but struggles to open it; he tricks other animals to help and finally enjoys the feast alone.
In a lush jungle, a cunning jackal named Mahachaturaka roamed, always on the hunt for his next meal. One day, Mahachaturaka discovered a huge dead elephant. "This will feed me for many days!" he thought, but his joy was short-lived when he couldn't bite through the thick elephant skin, despite his best efforts.
Suddenly, he saw a powerful lion approaching. Thinking on his feet, Mahachaturaka quickly bowed down and said, "Your Majesty, I found this elephant and I've been guarding it for you. Please, enjoy this banquet."
But the lion politely refused, saying, "I only eat what I've hunted myself. However, I appreciate your offer. You can have the elephant." With that, the lion left, leaving Mahachaturaka still struggling with the elephant's hide.
Soon, a leopard came into view. Mahachaturaka quickly climbed onto the elephant and announced confidently, "Uncle Leopard, you're walking into trouble! The lion killed this elephant. He left me to guard it. It would be unwise to tamper with his prey."
The leopard noticed the lion's pawprints nearby and believed Mahachaturaka's words. Scared, he begged, "Please, don't tell the lion I was here. I'll go look for food elsewhere." And with that, he fled, but Mahachaturaka's problem was still unsolved.
Then, a tiger approached. Mahachaturaka had a bright idea: "The tiger's sharp teeth could help me open this elephant's skin. I just need to persuade him."
He greeted the tiger, "Hey Tiger, you look hungry. Why not join me? The lion killed this elephant, and I'm just keeping an eye on it. Go ahead, feast. I'll keep a lookout for the lion."
The tiger, intrigued by Mahachaturaka's words, jumped onto the elephant and managed to tear off a piece of the tough skin. But just as the tiger began feasting, Mahachaturaka cried out, "The lion is coming back! Hide or run!" The tiger didn't waste a second and ran off as fast as he could.
Now, Mahachaturaka had access to the elephant's meat thanks to the hole the tiger had made. But as he was about to start his feast, another jackal arrived. Not willing to share, Mahachaturaka bravely chased the other jackal away.
Finally, after all his quick thinking and clever maneuvers, Mahachaturaka could enjoy his hard-earned elephant meal.
