Here is the story of Chatak, the bird believed to be the harbinger of rains.
It is said, way back in time there lived an old woman with her daughter in a small village.
The old woman was hard working, kind, religious and encouraged her daughter to take care of animals. They had a bullock which they used to plough the small farm they had.The old woman feed the bull with fresh grass and took it to the nearby pond everyday to let it take bath and drink water.
But the woman's daughter was lazy and selfish. She thought that animals are there to serve humans and did not bother to feed the bull timely. While her mother took the bull to the pond, she enjoyed the meal and then slept.
But the woman's daughter was lazy and selfish. She thought that animals are there to serve humans and did not bother to feed the bull timely. While her mother took the bull to the pond, she enjoyed the meal and then slept.
One day the old woman fell sick. So she called her daughter and asked her to take the bull to the pond. She gave her some sweets and asked her eat them while the bull drank the water.
But the girl was agreed. She left home with sweets and bull. After walking some distance, she saw a tree. She tied the bull to the tree and started eating the sweets.
But as soon as she was out of her mother’s sight, the lazy girl tied the bullock to a tree and sat down under it to eat the sweets. All this while the thirsty bullock waited for her to finish eating the sweets.
After she finished the sweets, the girl returned home. She lied to her mother and assured her that the bullock rank water from the pond. Hearing this, the bullock was enraged. He cursed the girl, saying, "You have lied and kept me thirsty. I curse you that you'll be reborn as Chatak, a bird that drinks water only when it rains".
The bullock's curse cane true and the girl was reborn as a Chatak.
It is said that a Chatak remains thirsty all around the year and queches its thirst only when it rains.
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