The Clever Jackal - A Panchatantra Tale of Wit

The Clever Jackal

Mahachaturaka's Predicament

Once upon a time, there lived a jackal in a dense forest. His name was Mahachaturaka. He was very clever. One day, while he was wandering in search of food, he came across a dead elephant. He wanted to eat its flesh, but his teeth were not strong enough to cut through the tough hide of the elephant. So, he waited patiently for someone to come around.

Outsmarting the Lion

In the meantime, a lion came there. The jackal, ever quick-witted, said to him, "Your Majesty, please have a taste of the elephant. I have been guarding it for you only." The lion, with a roar of disdain, replied, "I eat only fresh animals, not the stale ones." With that, the majestic beast went on his way, leaving the jackal overjoyed. He still had the full dead body of the elephant intact in his possession.

Deceiving the Tiger

Next, a formidable tiger approached. The jackal became afraid, fearing the tiger might devour the entire elephant. Thinking quickly, he said to the tiger, "A hunter has killed this elephant with a poisoned arrow. Whosoever eats its flesh would die due to food poisoning. I'm guarding it to save the life of others." The tiger, startled by the warning, got frightened and soon disappeared into the dense forest.

Tricking the Vultures

As soon as the tiger went away, two vultures descended, perching themselves over the dead body of the elephant. The clever jackal did not want them to eat the elephant. So he said to them, "I've hunted this elephant and have sold its skin to two hunters. If they ever see you eating the elephant, they'll kill both of you." The vultures became frightened and immediately flew away. But the jackal still looked for someone who would cut the tough hide of the elephant to make it easy for him to eat its flesh.

The Leopard's Assistance

At last, a leopard arrived. The jackal knew that the leopard had sharp teeth, capable of cutting through the elephant's hide. He said to him, "Friend, you seem to be hungry. Why not take a bite on the elephant? It has been killed by a lion. He has gone home to bring his family. When I see him arriving, I'll make a warning sign, and then you can run away." The leopard, eager for a meal, agreed. He immediately sat down to cut open the elephant's hide. As soon as the jackal saw that the leopard had cut through the elephant's hide and was about to eat its flesh, he shouted, "There comes the lion!" The leopard sprang up on its feet and quickly disappeared into the forest.

The jackal happily enjoyed the flesh of the elephant for many days together.

Moral: Wit and intelligence can overcome strength and size.
This story teaches us that problems can often be solved not just by brute force, but by clever thinking and strategic planning.