This ancient Indian fable from the Panchatantra retells the moral lesson that it’s necessary to use critical thinking and wit to be cautious when offered help, as those with a hidden agenda often reveal themselves through their actions.

Once upon a time, in a big, sparkly pond, lived an old stork named Baka. Baka had long legs and a long, long beak. He loved to eat yummy fish, but he was getting too old and slow to catch them. “Oh, my tummy rumbles,” he sighed.

One sunny morning, Baka had a tricky idea. He stood by the water and started to cry. “Boo-hoo-hoo!” he wailed. The little fish swam near. “What’s wrong, Baka?” they asked.

“Oh, my little fishy friends,” sniffled Baka. “A man told me this pond will dry up soon! There will be no more water for you to swim in.” The fish looked very worried.

“But don’t you worry!” said Baka with a sly smile. “I can help! I will carry you, one by one, in my beak to a brand new, bigger pond!” The fish thought Baka was very kind.

So, one by one, Baka picked up the fish in his beak and flew away. But he didn’t take them to a new pond. He took them to a big rock and… GULP! He ate them all up.

In the pond also lived a clever little crab named Karka. Karka had big, strong pinchers and smart, beady eyes. He watched Baka and thought, “Hmm, something is not right.”

Karka said to Baka, “Mr. Stork, it’s my turn! Please take me to the new pond, too!” Baka was happy to eat a yummy crab. “Hop on!” he said.

Baka flew up, up, up with Karka on his back. But instead of flying to a new pond, he flew towards the big, scary rock. Karka saw the fish bones on the rock below. He knew Baka’s tricky plan!

“You are a tricky stork!” shouted Karka. And with his big, strong pinchers, he gave Baka’s long neck a big… PINCH! “Ouch, ouch, ouch!” cried Baka.

Baka let go of Karka, and the clever little crab fell safely back into his pond. Baka, with his sore neck, flew far, far away and never came back. Karka the crab saved the day because he was so smart!

* Developed with the assistance of Gemini.ai by Henrik Frederiksen [Founder ElephantTribe.org 

** Original Story from The Patantra: Book I “The Loss of Friends”