The fruit for telling the truth
- achumba ngangbage fal -
- Animal Fables-
Fungawari Singbul by B. Jayantakumar Sharma *
Art Work - Phurailatpam Banti
Animal Fables:
Funga Wari Singbul: Page 20
achumba ngangbage fal
Once upon a time in a forest there lived a group of monkeys.
It was very cold for them staying on the trees on winter days. So one day the leader of the group called all the monkeys for a meeting.
He said, "My dear friends, it is very cold staying on the trees all winter. We monkeys are known for our wit; please suggest something for our betterment".
Nobody spoke for a while and then a monkey spoke up. He said, "Dear chief, why don't we rub ourselves with mud like the hermits and withstand cold all winter".
Then another rejected his idea for it will be very dirty rubbing mud on one's body and suggested using fireflies to warm themselves instead.
All the monkeys agreed to the second idea and were very happy about it.
The chief was also okay with the idea and he led all the monkeys and started catching fireflies.
They kept all the fireflies they caught together and sat in a circle.
An old vulture was watching what the monkeys were doing so he flew down to them and said, "My dear monkeys, what you are doing is wrong, fireflies gives light when its dark, but it doesn't produce heat at all".
The monkeys were furious with what the vulture said.
So, they caught and killed the vulture for telling them that they were wrong.
The vulture died for telling them the truth.
Motto: There are proper place and time for giving advice.
* This is a Manipur folk tale translated from a Book in Manipuri "Fungawari Singbul" compiled by B. Jayantakumar Sharma. E-pao.net thanks B. Jayantakumar Sharma for giving permission to be reproduced in this website. Translation done by Team e-pao. This was webcasted on November 17, 2011.
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