Vishnu Sharma
|
India

The Mongoose and the Brahmin

A Brahmin mistakenly kills his loyal mongoose, who had actually saved his child from a snake.
Understanding
Regret
Loyalty
Panchatantra Fables - The Mongoose and the Brahmin
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, in a certain town, there lived a Brahmin who had a pet mongoose. The Brahmin loved his mongoose dearly and treated it as if it were his own child. One day, the Brahmin had to go out of town for some work, leaving the mongoose behind to look after the house.

While the Brahmin was away, a snake sneaked into the house. The mongoose, seeing the snake, thought it was a danger to the house and attacked it. A fierce fight broke out between the mongoose and the snake, and in the end, the mongoose emerged victorious.

After the fight, the mongoose was covered in blood and exhausted. Just then, the Brahmin returned home and saw the mongoose covered in blood. He assumed that the mongoose had killed his infant son and in a fit of anger, he threw his stick at the mongoose and killed it.

However, upon entering the house, the Brahmin discovered that his son was safe and sound, and that the mongoose had, in fact, saved his son's life by killing the snake. Overcome with guilt and grief, the Brahmin realized that he had made a grave mistake and that the mongoose had been faithful and loyal to him until its last breath.

Once upon a time, in a cozy little corner of the world, there lived a Brahmin and his mongoose BFF. These two were as close as pancakes and syrup, the real dynamic duo! Brahmin treated his mongoose like royalty—story time, snack time, you name it!

So, one sunny afternoon, Brahmin had to hit the road for some grown-up duties. "Look after the castle, will ya?" Brahmin winked at his mongoose.

The mongoose stood at attention and saluted, "Aye aye, Captain! No invaders shall pass!"

But guess what? A snake decided to slither in, thinking it could make itself at home. A snake with no RSVP, mind you!

Mongoose was like, "Ah, we have an unexpected guest! Dance-off time!" And just like that, the mongoose and snake started a showdown that could rival any dance battle you've ever seen.

There were flips, rolls, jumps—oh, it was like watching a breakdancing championship. In the end, our mongoose friend claimed victory, looking a bit like he'd just run a furry marathon.

Brahmin came home and saw his mongoose covered in muck and goo. "Whoa! What's all this? A food fight gone wrong?" he thought, his face turning all shades of red. Brahmin, in a moment of utter oopsiness, threw his stick at his faithful mongoose. The mongoose didn’t dodge, and well, that was the end of that chapter.

Rushing inside, Brahmin found his little one giggling and playing, not a scratch on him. And then, the snake. Lying there, out for the count. Brahmin felt his heart sink. "Ah, what a colossal mix-up! My mongoose was the hero of the day!"

So Brahmin sat there, in his quiet home, looking at the place where his mongoose used to nap, and he felt sadder than a clown without his makeup. He realized that sometimes, the biggest mistakes come from jumping to the wildest conclusions. And in that moment, Brahmin made a promise to himself: no more sticks, and no more snap judgments. Because a mongoose in muck might just be a hero in disguise.

In a town not too far, with skies so blue,
Lived a kind Brahmin and his furry friend, too.
A mongoose, so brave, like a brother he was,
Together they lived, without much fuss.

Dad had to leave, so he said with care,
"Little mongoose, please watch the house while I'm not there."
While Dad was away, a snake slinked in,
But mongoose knew, he couldn't let the snake win.

They tumbled and rolled, in a battle so tight,
Till the snake was no more, mongoose was alright!
But oh, he was messy, from his nose to his tail,
Just when Dad came back, without fail.

Dad saw the mess, oh what could it mean?
He thought something bad, he thought something mean.
With a swish and a swoosh, his stick flew so quick,
Oh no, oh no, it made everyone sick.

He rushed inside and what did he see?
His child was safe as safe could be!
The snake was gone, thanks to his furry friend,
Oh how he wished, he could make amends.

"Daddy made a mistake," he said with a sigh,
Wiping away a sad, little tear from his eye.
His friend saved the day, that much was true,
A hero so brave, through and through.

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Understanding Questions

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the mongoose fought the snake?
  2. How did the Brahmin react when he saw the mongoose covered in blood, and why?
  3. What did the Brahmin find when he entered his house, and how did this make him feel?
  4. Can you think of a time when you or someone else made a quick decision without knowing all the facts, and it led to regret?
  5. What does this story teach us about making assumptions and the importance of understanding the whole situation before acting?

Fable Quotes

In the absence of understanding, hasty judgments can lead to irreversible consequences.
Regret is the echo of choices poorly made.
True loyalty withstands accusations and remains steadfast, even when misunderstood until the very end.
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