The Clever She-Goat

[This is a story which my mother used to tell me when I was young.  It helped me sleep peacefully and also develop self confidence in my later life.]

 

Once there was a potter in a village.  He had a dog and a she-goat.  The dog guarded the house and the she-goat was young so was not able to help the potter.  She only ate and ate.  But she was very thin.  She was frustrated, that she could not help the farmer in any way.  The dog too teased her.

 

One day, she went to the farmer and said, “Master, I want to visit my mother at the other end of this forest.  She is very good at cooking.  She will make me put on weight and I will be able to give you milk.  So, please allow me to go!”  The potter agreed.

 

The she-goat set out to her mother’s house, which was on the other side of the forest.  She had to cross the dense forest alone.  But the thought of meeting her mother was so exiting she did not mind the danger which might befall her.

 

She started singing and walking along the narrow mud path.   Suddenly she heard a loud noise.  It was a tiger.  It pounced before the she-goat and said, “Ha! I got a good meal for my dinner.  I need not search food for another day.”  But the she-goat was not afraid.  It said in a humble tone, “Oh Great tiger, please listen to me.  If you eat me now, you can have food only for two days, but if you eat me when I return from my mother’s place, you need not hunt for a week, as I promise I would have grown very fat.”

 

The tiger thought for a while and said, “Ok! But if you do not turn up this way, I will find you and your mother and eat you both.”  Then the She-goat continued her journey.  Once again she started singing as it was a little scary.   Once again she heard a scream.  This time it was the jackal.   It jumped before her and said, “Ha! I got meal for a week.  How lucky I am!  I am going to eat you up”   “No, Sir” said the goat.  “Do not eat me now.  Eat me when I return.  I would make a meal for a month.  I am thin now, but when I return I would have grown fat.”

The jackal agreed.  The she-goat proceeded on her way.  She reached her mother’s house safely.   She enjoyed her days there, eating and making merry with her mother and cousins.  Then the day came for her return to her master.  She told her mother what had happened on the way.  Her mother gave her a bag full of money and a few things to carry with her. 

 

She started her journey back to her master.  As anticipated the jackal came in her way and said that he was ready to eat her.  The she-goat said, “Yes, you can eat me, but first look into my eyes and she showed two eggs of a duck.  The jackal got a shock and ran away.

 

Next, came the tiger.  He too was ready to eat the she-goat.  But the she-goat said, “Yes, you can eat me, but first look at my hands.”   She showed a long pounder, which is used to pound rice.  The tiger too became very scared and ran away.  Now she reached her master safely and gave the bag of money her mother gave.

 

The farmer was very happy and praised the she-goat.  The dog stopped teasing her and they both lived with their master happily thereafter.

 

 

Article Posted By : Nisha HassanlView All Articles

Love nature, travel and reading. Writing is my passion.

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http://www.veethi.com/articles/the-clever-she-goat-article-808.htm

Keywords :
she-got , clever , jackal , tiger

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