white cow, a black cow and a reddish-brown one. The cows were kind to
each other. They were nice to each other. They used to graze in the
meadow together. and they used to sleep near each other.
Till it happened one day, the reddish-brown colored lion of the forest
happened to pass that way. The lion was unhappy. It was hungry, and
was looking for a prey. On catching sight ofthe cows it became glad,
but couldn't attack them, because they were together. So, the lion sat
in a corner and waited till the cows would separate from each other.
The cows were together and wouldn't part away from each other,
becausethey knew that if they were together, no predator could attack
them.
The lion lay in ambush nearby for two or three days. But the cows
continued to remain together, and wouldn't separate from each other.
The lion became unhappy.
A plan occurred to it. It went towards the cows, greeted them and
said:"How are you my friends? Are you fine? I have beenremembering you
for a long time, but because I am too busy, I can't cometo you and ask
about your health.
Today I said to myself:"Anyhow I should come and see you from near and
visit you."
The reddish-brown cow said: "Sir, your coming has really pleased us
and"brightened our pasture."
The lion said: "I have always remembered you, and have even ordered a
better pasture made ready for you."
The reddish-brown cow said:
"Sir, you have really obliged us and we are very thankful to you."
Both the white and the black cows were troubled by what their friend,
the reddish-brown cow said, and were grieved at its thoughtlessness.
They feared lest it should be deceived.
They said to each other:"Which forest has not got a better pasture? -
Why does the reddish-brown cow believe what the lion says? - Doesn't
it know that lions seek other animals only to prey on them?
The reddish-brown cow became more and more aclose friend of the lion
each day. The black cow and the white cow advised it as much as they
could, but with no avail.
One day the lion said to the reddish-brown cow:"You know that the
color of our bodies is dark and that the color of the bodyof the white
cow is light, and you also know that the light color is the opposite
of the dark color. It would be very good if I eat the white cow, so
that there will beno difference among us any longer and that we will
be able to live together well."
The reddish-brown cow accepted the saying of the selfish lion and
started talking to the black cow to keep it busy, so that the lion
could eat the white cow with more ease. The white cow was left alone
and was killed, while the black and the reddish-brown cows were busy
with idle talks.
Two or three days passedsince the lion had devoured the white cow. The
lion, angry and uneasy, was lying in a corner, and the reddish-brown
cow was moving around the lion and grazing. The lion called the
reddish-brown cow. The cow answered: "Yes sir!"
The lion said: "The color of my body and the color of your body are
reddish-brown, and black does not go with our color. It will be very
good if I eat the black cow, so that in this forest we all will be of
the same color." The reddish-brown cow accepted and moved away from
the black cow.
The lion attacked and devoured the black cow, too. And as for the
reddish-brown cow, it was so filled with joy thatit didn't know what
to do. It roamed and grazedand said to itself:"It is only me who has
the color of the lion..."
A few days passed since the black cow had been devoured by the lion.
Thelion roared and said. "O the reddish-brown cow! Where are you?"
The reddish-brown cow, shaking with fear, went forward and said: "Yes sir!"
The lion said: "Today it is your turn, get yourself ready, I am going
to eat you."
The reddish-brown cow, with great fear and horror said: "Why sir, I am
your friend. I did whatever you said. So why do you want to eat me?"
The lion roared and said:"Friend of a friendless"! How is it possible
that a lion makes friendship with a cow?"
No matter how much the reddish-brown cow begged and entreated, the
lion didn't accept its words.
The lion attacked the cow.
The cow said: "Mr. Lion, please allow me to cry out three times before
you eat me."
The lion said: "Quickly, quickly!"
The reddish-brown cow cried out: "I was eaten the very day the white
cow was eaten. I was eaten the very day the black cow was eaten. I was
eaten the very day I made.... with you".
The lion devoured the reddish-brown cow very quickly. Then it said to
itself: "I have finished my job in this forest. Now I had better go to
other forests."
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