The Panchatantra - Story 13d

STORY NO. 13d. THE WISE OLD GANDER

In a forest there was a big tree with a number of branches. A flock of wild geese lived in that tree. A creeping vine began to grow at the foot of the tree. An old gander said to the geese, "If this vine reaches up the tree it will enable enemies to climb up the tree easily. So,, let us cut it off before it grows." 

The geese laughed at him and said, "What can this vine do ? So the vine was- allowed to

grow right up to the top of the tree. One day, a hunter got up the tree with the help of the vine and laid a trap for the geese when the gander and the geese had gone in search of food. When they returned.- they were caught in the trap. Ail their wriggling to get free was in vain. The old gander said to the geese, "You have brought it on yourselves by not heeding to my advice." The geese said, "That is so. Pray, do something to rescue us." Ha said, Alright, let us sham death, everyone of us, and lie still. Then the hunter will take all of us to be dead and will throw us one by one down to- the ground. We must remain still till the last one is thrown down and all of us will then rise up simultaneously and fly over his head." The hunter, arriving at dawn, took all the birds to be dead and freed them from the snare with perfect confidence and threw them one by one to the ground. When he was about to descend, he was surprised to see all the birds rise up simultaneously and fly up.