The Frog And The Snake

Once there lived a snake named Mandavisha. He was old and weak. So he was unable to prey for food.

One day, Mandavisha laid resting on banks of a river. A small frog saw the snake.

The snake saw the frog and knew it could be an easy prey but did not move. Seeing this the frog became curious.

The frog asked the snake, "O mighty snake, why are not hunting down your prey?"

Mandavisha was a sly snake. He said, "Frog!  I am weak and helpless. I did wrong deed some years back and now I am reaping fruits of the sin I committed".

The snake continued, "Some years back I crept into house of a holy Brahmin and bit his son. The son died due to my poisonous bite. The Brahmin was wrecked to his dead son and cursed me, ‘O wicked snake! I curse you – you will be suppressed and the frogs will use you as their vehicle’. I am thus waiting for frogs to ride on me and rid me of the curse".

The small frog ran to his king, Jalapada and narrated the snake's plea. The king was carried away and went to the old snake to ride on him.

Mandavisha welcomed the king if frogs and let him climb on his back.

Next day, the snake pretended to be weak and did not move. Seeing this, the frog said, "O mighty snake what happen to you? Why are not moving at all?"

The sly snake replied, “I am weak and starved. I had nothing to eat since yesterday evening. I cannot take you for ride today".

But the king wanted to go for ride with his wife. So he told the frog to eat one frog from his kingdom everyday.

Thus the wily snake started preying upon the frogs. Soon all the frogs were eaten and the king frog alone survived. So the snake came to prey upon the king frog and killed it for his food.

The king of frogs repented for trusting the snake. His kingdom was destroyed and soon he was killed by the snake.

Moral: Never trust your natural enemies.
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