The Jackal & The Camel Story | Tit for Tat | English

 

Story #1:

Once there lived a jackal in the woods present on the bank of a river. There were melon fields on the other bank of the river. The melons are ripe and juicy in the summer season, and the very sight of them made the jackal’s mouth watered. The jackal could not do anything because he did not know how to swim across the river and the river was deep and wide. Luckily, he had friendship with a tall camel. He requested the camel to take him across the river. The camel agreed to it.

One day, the camel takes the jackal on his back, waded through the cold water. On reaching the other bank, both of them started eating melons. Suddenly, the jackal started to howl. The camel was taken aback on hearing the noise created by the jackal. He, therefore, requested the jackal not to howl. The jackal replied that it was his habit to howl after having meal. The villagers, on hearing the howls, came rushing to the fields with sticks in their hands. The jackal being small slipped under a bush, but the camel was caught because of his size. The villagers beat him well and drove him out of the fields.

As soon as the camel entered the river, the jackal came out from his hide-out and jumped onto the camel’s back. It angered the camel but he remained quiet. He thought to teach the jackal a good lesson. So when he reached the middle of the river, he stopped. This thing alarmed the jackal. When he asked the reason, the camel replied that it was his habit to take a bath after a good beating. Saying this, he sat down in the fast flowing river. Unable to keep his balance, the jackal fell into the river and was drowned.

Moral: Tit for Tat.

Story #2:

Every action has its reaction. Good begets good & evil begets evil. If virtue is its own reward evil also rebounds strikes its doer. The following story aptly illustrates the oft-quoted moral: Tit for tat.

Once a jackal lived near a bank of a river. He had heard that there many fields of ripe and sweet melons on the other side of the river. The river was wide and deep. The jackal longed to eat the melons but he did not know how to swim. One day, he happened to come across a camel. They become fast friends. An idea struck him and he went to the camel and said, “Do you like melons? There are plenty of them on the yonder bank?” “I thank you for the information. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to your kindness,” said the camel.

The jackal mounted his back and he waded through the water to reach the other bank. As they reached there, they fell hungrily on the melons. The jackal ate to his fill but found the camel still busy in eating. He grew impatient. He wanted to play mischief on the camel for the fun of it. He began to howl at the top of his voice. The camel entreated the jackal, “For God’s sake, stop this uproar otherwise both of us would badly suffer.” The jackal said “It is my habit to howl in order to clear my throat.” In the meanwhile, the owner of the field reached there. He saw that the camel and the jackal had played havoc with his field. They had eaten some of the melon and had trodden down under feet the rest of them. He gave camel a good beating but the jackal succeeded in making good his escape. The camel ran in panic and got into the river. The jackal at once jumped on to his back.

After a while, the camel collected his senses. Now they were in the deep water. “Why did you play such a trick on me?” the camel asked the jackal. The jackal replied, “I am used to howling after a good meal.” “Very well,” the camel said and began to swim in the river. When he reached the middle of the river, where the water was very deep, he dived. The jackal was going to drown in the deep in the deep water. The jackal said, “Dear friend, what are you doing? Do you want to drown me?” the camel said, “My dear friend! I am in the habit of having a dip in water after a hearty meal.” Saying this, the camel rolled in the river. The jackal was drowned.

Moral:

1. Tit for tat.
2. He that gives must take a joke.
3. One bad turn deserves another.