The Sparrow, the Woodpecker, the Fly and the Frog

In a certain forest a pair of sparrows had their nest in a tamala tree, and in time there were eggs in it.

One day a rutting elephant, tormented by the heat, came under that tree for shade and in his frenzy seized with his trunk the very branch that held the nest, and broke it. All the eggs were smashed; the hen escaped with her life, but wept without stopping for her young.

Hearing her, her dear friend Kashthakuta the woodpecker came: "Lady, why weep for nothing? What is destroyed, dead and past — the wise do not mourn it." The sparrow said: "That is true. But this wicked elephant destroyed my young in his frenzy. If you are truly my friend, find a way to kill this brute. To repay an injury is a friend's work."

The woodpecker said: "You are right. And listen — I have a friend, a fly called Vinarava. Let us bring her in too." They went to the fly and told her everything. The fly said: "I too have a friend, a frog named Meghanada; call him as well. Work succeeds by the counsel of the wise."

The four met. When he had heard it all, the frog said: "What strength has one wretched elephant against the anger of a whole community? Listen — do this. Fly, at noon go close to that elephant's ear and hum sweetly like a lute, so that he closes his eyes in pleasure. Then, woodpecker, put out both his eyes with your hard beak. Blind and burning with thirst, he will go looking for water — and at that time I shall sit at the edge of a deep pit and croak. Taking it for a lake, he will come there, fall in, and die."

It happened exactly so. At noon the fly hummed sweetly by his ear, and the elephant shut his eyes and swayed with pleasure. In that moment the woodpecker put out both his eyes. The blind elephant, wild with thirst, went searching for water. Then Meghanada went to the edge of a great pit and croaked loudly. The elephant ran after that sound, fell into the pit, and died.

So it is said: even the smallest creatures, joined together, can finish the greatest enemy.

चटकाकाष्ठकूटेन मक्षिकादर्दुरेण च । महाजनविरोधेन कुञ्जरः प्रलयं गतः ॥

Moral: Sparrow and woodpecker, fly and frog — by making enemies of a whole community, the elephant met his end.

From the Panchatantra, Book I — The Loss of Friends.