STORY - ADVICE OF WISE

             There was a huge tree on which live scores of swans. Among them was an old wise swan. He was very farsighted. All the swans respectfully called him “Wise one.”

               One day he saw a tiny climber plant beginning to encircle the trunk of the tree near its base. The wise one called the swans and warned, Look, destroy that climber. Some day it will lead us to death.” A young swan questioned, “How can that tiny plant lead us to death?”

              The wise one explained, “It looks tiny today. Soon it will climb up spiralling around the tree trunk. The main body of the climber will became strong and thick. It will attach itself to the tree and serve as a ladder to reach us. Then, any hunter would easily climb up to kill us.”

               The other swan could not believe it.  One remarked, “How will this tiny climber become a ladder?”

                 Another spoke, “Wise one, you are making a little plant too long and big.” Third swan grumbled, “Sometimes the wise one speaks big nonsense to impress us.”  Thus, no one took the wise one’s warning seriously. In fact, others made a joke of it. They were too silly and shortsighted to look far. The climber kept creeping up, growing fast, thicker and stronger. Within a few years it really looked like a spiral stair case reaching into the branches. All the swan saw the truth of what the wise one had said. But alas!  Now nothing could be done. Because the climber had become so thick and hard that the swan could not destroy it.

               They could have easily torn it into pieces when it was tiny and soft.

                One day when the swans had flown out to look for food, a bird catcher passed by. He saw a climber making a ladder around the tree. He at once climbed up the tree and laid his trap of net. In the evening, the swans returned to the tree, their home. As soon as they came down on the tree the net trapped them. The trapped swans cursed themselves for not listening to the advice of the wise one. They were ashamed of them selves. The wise one was angry and aloof.

              A swan pleaded to him, “O wise one, forgive us, fools. We are sorry.” Another squeaked, “Please, get us out of this mess. We will never again ignore your words of wisdom.” All the swans swore to this. The wise one then advised, “So, listen carefully. Tomorrow morning when the bird catcher comes, act dead. Taking you for dead he will go on putting you on the ground. Stay there like dead. As soon as he puts down the last swan, I will give you a whistle. On hearing my whistle, get up and flew away. The bird catcher indeed did what the wise one had said. As soon as the wise one blew whistle, all the swans came alive and flew away. The bird catcher was surprised and felt very silly.

Moral :-  Pay heed to the advice of the wise ones.