The Story of the Dove and the Hunter

“A wicked bird hunter, with the appearance of Yama, used to roam about in the jungle. He had neither friendsnor relatives. He was deserted by everyone because ofhis cruel deeds. As they say: ‘Wicked people who destroy life, Are dangerous to be near. They can well be compared to snakes Who bite one and all.’ “One day, while the hunter was wandering about ·in the jungle, he caught a female dove and threw her intoa cage. ” I t was now evening. Suddenly, a storm, accompaniedby heavy rain, broke loose, so ferociously that it seemedas if Pralaya* was at hand. The hunter was terrifiedand began to shudder from the rain and cold. Hesearched for somewhere to shelter and went · and stoodunder. a tree. ” After some time, however, the sky cleaied and whenthe hunter looked up, he saw a bright star. Then hesaid in a loud voice, ‘I seek shelter from whoever maybe living in this tree. Let him protect me! I am bewilderedby cold and hunger.’ “Now a pair of doves had, for a long time, made theirnest in this tree. This particular evening, the femaledove had not come home and her husband wasdesperately worried about her. ‘The wind blows fiercelyalong with the rain,’ he said, ‘and my wife has not yetreturned. My home is empty without her. As they say: ” A house without a wife Cannot be called a home, It’s a desert.” ‘ ” Now the bird hunter had caught this very dove’s wifeand put her in his cage. When the trapped dove heardher husband talking like this, she replied to him, ‘A wife whos husband is not pleased with her,

PANCH ATANTRA

Cannot be called a wife, But a woma, n who makes her husband happy, Wins the esteem of the gods. Now, a father, a brother and a son, Give within limits, But what wife won’t desire to please her husband, When he gives beyond limit.’ ‘Now, my dear,’ she went on, ‘I want to tell yousomething for your own good. Please listen. If some onecomes to you for shelter, he should be protected, evenif it means risking your own life. This hunter is coldand hungry and he asks you to protect him. So, makehim welcome, for they say: “Whoever does not welcome a guest, according tohis mite, Will pay for all the sins of the guest And lose to him all the fruits of his good deeds.” -‘And don’t hate this hunter because he has caged your beloved. I have been impris oned only as a resultof my past actions. Poverty, disease, grief, imprisonmentand disaster, all these come from one’s own deeds. So, stop hating the hunter because of my captivity, thinkof religion and welcome him according to our traditions.’ “When the male dove heard his wife’s virtuous words, he approached the hunter warmly and said to him, ‘my friend, welcome! Consider this as your own home anddon’t let anything worry you. ‘ “When · the hunter heard this, h e replied, ‘Oh, dove! Please protect me from this terriblecold.’ “The dove flew to a place some way off and broughtback a live coal. He dropped it on some dry leaves and the flames began to spread rapidly. He said to thehunter, ‘Warm yourself and don’t be afraid. Butunfortunately, I have nothing here to satisfy yourhunger. Some people entertain thousands, somehundreds, some tens, but I am so wretched that I can noteven support myself. But what is the good of stayingin the house of someone who is so beset with troubles

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that h e is u nable to feed even one guest? So, what Ishall do is sacrifice t Qis sorrowful body of min andmake myself useful, then I shall not have to admit that I turned a guest away hungry from my door.’ ” And so, the dove put all the blame on himself andsaid not a word of reproach to the hunter. Then hesaid, ‘Just wait a moment, soon I shall sai, sfy yourhunger.’ When he had said this, with joy in his heart, the pious bird flew once round the fire and then enteredit, as if it had been his own nest. “When the hunter saw all this, his heart was movedwith pity and. he said, ‘The mind of a man who liveswickedly is always i11. turmoil and ultimately he has topay for his evil acti Ons. I, as a result of all my sins, will undoubtedly go to hell. But this virtuous dove hasset. an ideal before me; From today on, I shall give UJ2 all my pleasures and lead a life of discipline.’ ” At; id so the hunter threw away his net, released theunfortuµate female dove and broke the cage into pieces. “When the female dove saw her husband burnt in thefire, she began to wail and sob pitifully. ‘Oh, My Lor d! ‘ she cried. ‘What is the good o f living without you? Widowhood results in loss of pride, loss of respect in the houehold and loss of authority over servants.’ “And so, heart-broken and crying pitifully, the devotedwife flew into the very same flames. “Some time after her earthly death, the female dovesaw her husband transformed into a divine creature. He was riding a chariot and wearing costly ornaments. The female dove found that she too had assumed adivine form and she went to her husband. ‘My virtuouswife,’ said the male dove, ‘you have done well in followingme.’ “And, as for the hunter, he renounced everything andbegan to live in the forest as a Tapasvi. His mind becamefree of all desires. One day, he saw a forest fire infront of him. He walked into it and his body was burnt. ‘ Thus he paid for his sins and entered heaven with great

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joy. -“And so,” continued Kruraksha, “that’s why I said, ‘A dove entertained an enemy Who came to him for protection And even went so far As to give his own flesh to him to eat. ‘ ” When Arimaradana, the owl king, had heard Kruraksha’s advice, he turned to Deeptaksha and asked him, “My dear fellow, what would you advise, underthe circumstances?” -“My Lord,”.he replied. “this crow should not be kilf

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What is the moral of THE STORY OF THE DOVE AND THE HUNTER?

The moral is: To value wisdom and make thoughtful decisions. This story teaches us that every action has consequences, and we must think carefully about the impact of our choices on ourselves and others.

What collection does THE STORY OF THE DOVE AND THE HUNTER belong to?

THE STORY OF THE DOVE AND THE HUNTER is from the Jataka Tales, an ancient literary work. The Jataka Tales is a timeless collection of stories that teaches important life lessons through memorable tales.

What age group is THE STORY OF THE DOVE AND THE HUNTER suitable for?

THE STORY OF THE DOVE AND THE HUNTER is best suited for Ages 6-10. Younger children will enjoy hearing it read aloud for its engaging narrative, while older children can read it independently and explore the deeper meanings and moral lessons embedded in the story.