The disguised misdeeds

The elephant who was solemn in his behaviour used to rest under a tree. He would relax in a meditative mood and leave the place to join his retinue in the forest. A monkey lived n the tree. For no apparent reason, the monkey disliked the elephant resting under the tree.

As such the monkey used to poo on the elephant’s back. He would go to the extent of jumping on to the back of the elephant and make fun out of him.

The elephant had the courage to put up with all the disturbances of the monkey.

“Oh this monkey is a real enemy of mine. Why should he just jump on to my back? I can dash him on to the floor by lifting him from my trunk. But I have tolerated that. He seems to misunderstand my behaviour. He wants perhaps to test my patience. Oh what a nasty creature the monkey is. He is a disgrace to the entire monkey family. Perhaps other monkeys are not aware of the fact that he drops dirt on my back.”

The elephant in a tolerable mood was patient for all the time spent under the tree. Then all of a sudden the tree sprite who was living in the vicinity said.

“You are a great and noble elephant indeed.” I was watching the behaviour of both of you. The monkey who lives on the tree is indeed cruel and ill mannered. Someone should teach him a good lesson. Perhaps one should lift him by the trunk and dash him on the floor.”

The elephant heard the utterance.

“But I do not want to kill or harm anybody. I do not want to harm any creature in this forest. I want to test my own patience. So let him do whatever he likes, and let him learn a lesson from somebody someday.”

The tree sprite was overjoyed. Then the elephant walked away to a bathing pond to cleanse himself. As time passed, a young elephant who came to know about the nasty qualities of the elderly elephant came to rest under the tree. The monkey not knowing that it was a newcomer, jumped on to the back of the elephant.

As the monkey was up to mischief, the elephant raised his trunk and looped the monkey and dashed him on the floor.

“Oh my god...” Cried the monkey in pain still remaining death pangs.

“Did you think that everyone is alike?” Asked the newcomer elephant. But the monkey, who was repenting for his misdeed, was silent. He was seen by the tree sprite as sufferer. The newcomer elephant paced away. The noble patient elephant, after a dip in the bathing pond, came to his usual place to rest under the tree. He saw the mishap of the monkey.

“Are you in pain?” Asked the noble elephant.

The monkey who was breathing his last, said in a disjoined manner.

“I am sorry... oh... I am sorry for all the misdeeds.”