The Tale of the Four Friends and the Monkey King
Once upon a time, in a forest, four friends - a rat, a crow, a tortoise, and a deer - lived together in harmony.
One day, a monkey king, bored with his solitary life, sought friendship. He observed the four friends' strong bond and decided to join them.
Initially, the monkey king helped the friends, using his agility to fetch fruits and berries. However, soon he began to manipulate and exploit them:
- He convinced the rat to dig holes for his own shelter.
- He tricked the crow into finding food for him.
- He persuaded the tortoise to carry him on his back.
- He convinced the deer to provide him with rides.
The four friends realized too late that they had been deceived. They united and devised a plan to teach the monkey king a lesson.
The rat dug a hole under the monkey king's shelter, the crow stole his stored food, the tortoise carried him to a river and dropped him in, and the deer abandoned him in the forest.
The monkey king, realizing his mistakes, apologized and promised to change. The four friends forgave him, but also cautioned:
"United we stand, divided we fall. Never exploit or manipulate others for personal gain."
Moral:
- Friendship should be based on mutual respect and trust.
- Exploiting others leads to loss and regret.
- Unity and teamwork can overcome challenges.