Short Stories » The Brahmin and the Crooks

The Brahmin and the Crooks - Panchatantra Stories for Kids

A long time ago, there lived a Brahmin named, Mitra Sharma. He was the worshiper of Fire-God. During the monsoon season, one day, he decided to sacrifice a goat in order to please his God. Therefore, he went to the nearby village to ask a devotee to donate his goat for the sacrifice.

When he reached there, he asked his friend, “Dear I came to you for a special purpose. I want a healthy and physically-fit goat from your herd to sacrifice it to please the Fire-God”. His friend happily donated him his favorite goat to offer to the Fire- God.

The Brahmin put the goat on his shoulder to reach at home before the evening. On his way home, three crooks observed him with a fat goat on his shoulder. Those three crooks were ravenously hungry from lasts four or five days. They saw it as a golden chance to deceive the Brahmin because he was traveling all alone.

Therefore, all three chalked out a clever plan. As per their plan, one crook intercepted Brahmin and stood alongside the road. When the Brahmin reached near him, he said, “Hey, Brahmin, Why are you carrying a profane dog on your shoulders?”

The Brahmin got furious with the crook, he retorted back at him, “What are you saying, don’t you have eyes? Can’t you distinguish between a dog and a goat? Why would I carry a profane dog on my shoulder?”

The crook innocently replied, “Friend I said, what I saw. If you are saying it’s a goat, it might be a goat. Don’t be worried. Please, carry on with your journey.”

The Brahmin proceeded a little further. Then he met with the second crook. The second crook laughed on the Brahmin and said, “Oh Brahmin, who advised you to carry a donkey on your shoulder? Can’t you put him down and ride the Donkey on your way home? Shame on you! How can you do this, you are a pious Brahmin!!”

The Brahmin thought for a while, “What’s going on with me?” But the very next moment, he shrugged his head and shouted at him, “Are you blind? Can’t you see, I’m carrying a sacrificial goat on my shoulders, not a donkey? You get out of my way. I don’t seek your advice.”

The second crook politely said, “Please, don’t be angry my friend, if you don’t want to put him down. It’s your choice. I did my job. You carry on with your journey.”

The Brahmin had gone a little mile further. He again met another crook, the third one. He yelled at the Brahmin, “Oh Brahmin, what had happened to you? Why do you carry a dead calf? Why don’t you throw it into the jungle? Please, go back, and throw the dead calf into the jungle, before anybody sees and insults you. I’m your well-wisher. Please, do as I’m saying.”

Now the Brahmin was in bewilderment. He thought, “Three men said three different things. Perhaps, I might be carrying a ghost, who is changing his shape.” Such a thought sent a shiver down his spine. He got very frightened. He immediately threw the goat in the jungle and ran as fast as he could without even looking back. The crooks caught the fat goat and laughed and feasted on the goat dinner.

MORAL: Don’t believe anyone else blindly. Use your brain and intelligence.