"A few nights ago," said the Moon after saying a salaam. "I circled and saw a Land called Bhumi Ganapati." The Owl asked, "O Moon, did the Land's inhabitants, worship Ganesh?" The Moon replied, "No, they didn't. The Land was called Ganapati, for the name was one of the concepts of their founding parents. The idea, was an aspiration as well, that to achieve prosperity, there were four elements needed to be combined : intelligence, identity (i.e. faithfulness), success, and growth (or enhancement). So, to understand what I'm going to tell you about, please do not regard it in literally meaning.
My story about a wise Elephant, whose efforts were always directed towards the benefit of his society.
It began when, a Lion, talk to himself, complained, ' I am gigantic in strength, handsome in shape, and powerful in attack. I have jaws well provided with teeth, and feet furnished with claws, and I lord it over all the beasts of the forest, and what a disgrace it is, most sadly that a beast with such claws, teeth, and strength as I possessed, should yet be moved to a state of abject terror at the cockcrowing. Can life be worth having? When so vile a creature has the power to rob it of its charms?' he mumbled.Just then, the wise Elephant came along, and said, 'Why do you blame yourself without a cause? You have been given all the attributes, and your courage never fails you except in this one instance.'On hearing this, the Lion groaned and lamented very much and, reproaching himself with his cowardice, wished that he might die. As these thoughts passed through his mind, the Elephant came close to him.After a time, the Lion observed that the Elephant shook his ears very often, and he inquired what was the matter and why his ears moved with such a tremor every now and then. Just at that moment, a Gnat settled on the head of the Elephant, and he replied, 'Do you see that little buzzing insect? If it enters my ear, my fate is sealed. I should die presently.' The Lion said, 'Well, since so huge a beast is afraid of a tiny gnat, I will no more complain, nor wish myself dead. I find myself, even as I am, better off than the Elephant.'Next day, a Wolf and a Leopard, joined company on a hunting party, and mutually agreed that, at the end of their rapacious chase, they would divide the spoil equally between them. They soon made prize of a Lamb, which they agreed to deliver into the possession of the Horse, who it happened was under covert hard by. At this moment they were joined by the Fox, who thinking there was something to be got, accompanied them in his familiar way, as if he had been one of the hunting party; and officiously assisted in delivering the Lamb to the Horse, who was desired to keep it for them until they should return from the chase, and demand it of him again.Soon after the cunning Fox, slyly quitting his companions, returned alone to the Horse, telling him that his companions were so much fatigued by their unsuccessful chase, that they had sent him for the Lamb, which they intended to make their repast upon, in order to refresh themselves the better to pursue their prey. The honest Horse, made no scruple of delivering up to the Fox the Lamb which bad been given into his charge: when crafty Reynard with great alacrity carried it off on his back, for his own sole use, and of course like a true rogue, returned no more to his former companions.At the termination of their day’s sport, came the Leopard and the Wolf, having had but little luck in their chase, and demanded from the innocent Horse, the property which they had left in his charge. It was in vain that the Horse told them his tale, and that he had honestly and honourably delivered the property to their companion, who together with them had left it in his charge—this tale they would not listen to, but said the Fox was a thief and a traitor, and had no right whatever to their goods—that if the Horse was such a fool as to be deluded by his false tale, that was not their business, but his—that they would have justice, and have their own property, which they had left with him. The poor affrighted Horse, who knew not what to say for himself, in so intricate a case, agreed to go with them to have the cause tried before, and adjudged by, the sagacious Elephant.When they came into court before the judge, each party told his tale—when the poor Horse trembled with fear; for even himself could scarcely see a reason why judgment by law should not be given against him.The wise Elephant gravely heard their several accounts, and thus replied, 'I find that each of you, have told me the truth, because your statements perfectly agree as to facts, and thus I decide your different rights, and pronounce judgment in the cause. You three, Leopard, Wolf, and Fox, in company, deposited in keeping of the Horse, the said property, the Lamb, as your prey—and which the Horse has honestly confessed to be a true statement of the case—you therefore cannot object to my determination, thus, 'That as you three in company delivered to his keeping your joint property, of course whenever you three personally return again, and demand it, he must deliver it up at his peril.'This wise judgment cleared the Horse entirely, as there was but little danger that the roguish Fox would ever be found again in that company. In the determination of doubtful and intricate cases, the nicest discrimination and solidity of judgment are required. This example demonstrates how brittle are the bonds that connect the society of rogues and plunderers, and how precarious the dependance they can place on each other. It also affords a lesson of instruction, cautiously to avoid the slightest intercourse with persons of bad or suspicious character, by which those of the most upright intentions may sometimes be involved in the greatest difficulty and danger.Then the days gone by, the wise Elephant, saw with much concern, the many abuses among the beasts, which called loudly for reform. He therefore assembled them, and, with all due respect and humility, began a long harangue, 'That for the person that is sincerely advising, his only cares is to eradicate the faults found in his fellow brothers and to help him avoid it. This is what Allah, the Most High, described His Messenger (ﷺ) by saying,لَقَدْ جَاۤءَكُمْ رَسُوْلٌ مِّنْ اَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيْزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيْصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ رَءُوْفٌ رَّحِيْمٌ فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ۗ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ'There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful. But if they turn away, [O Muḥammad], say, "Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Rabb of the Great Throne." [QS. At-Tawbah (9):128-129]The advice should be given with kindness and good manners and in secret. However, when the advised is a person whose sins or badness are advocated in public, the advice should be given in public and people should be warned about him, lest they fall for him.'The speech enlarged for more than a quarter of an hour, remarking all their vices, also a thousand ridiculous habits, particularly their unworthy idleness, their rapacious selfishness, their wanton cruelty and spiteful envy, all which so conspicuously appeared among them. To many of his auditors, this speech, appeared extremely delightful and judicious, and they listened with open-mouthed attention, especially such as the innocent Dove, the faithful guardian Dog, the obedient Camel, the harmless Sheep, and even the little industrious Ant; the busy Bee also approved much of this lecture.Another part of the audience were extremely offended, and could scarcely endure so long an oration; the Tiger, for instance, and the rapacious Wolf were exceedingly tired, and the Serpent hissed with all his might, whilst a murmur of disapprobation burst from the Drone, the Hornet, the wild lazy Cat and Dog, as wel as the Fly. The Grasshopper hopped disdainfully away from the assembly, the Sloth was indignant, and the insolent Ape mimicked the orator in contempt. As for the Wasp, felt irritated. Unlike bees, which could produce honey and stung only once—the process was ultimately fatal—Wasps couldn't produce honey but stung multiple times and buzzed away. They refuted what the Elephant had said. They argued, 'That's not true!' ... 'You talk too much!' ... 'It wasn't us who did it!' ... 'Your data is wrong' ... 'We have prepared a new program!' ... Anyway, a lot of alibies and promises, as usual, then occured.The Elephant, seeing the tumult, concluded his discourse with these words, “My advice is addressed equally to all, but remember, that those who feel hurt by any remarks of mine, acknowledge their guilt. The innocent are unmoved.”Then the Elephant came down from the pulpit, chanting,ꦭꦶꦂꦲꦶꦭꦶꦂꦭꦶꦂꦲꦶꦭꦶꦂꦠꦤ꧀ꦢꦸꦫꦺꦮꦸꦱ꧀ꦱꦸꦩꦶꦭꦶꦂLir-ilir, lir-ilir, tandure wis sumilir[Wake up, wake up, the seeds has bloomed]ꦠꦏ꧀ꦲꦶꦗꦺꦴꦫꦺꦴꦪꦺꦴꦫꦺꦴꦪꦺꦴTak ijo, royo royo[Greenish, abundantly]ꦠꦏ꧀ꦱꦺꦁꦒꦸꦃꦠꦺꦩꦤ꧀ꦠꦺꦤ꧀ꦲꦚꦂTak sêngguh têmantèn anyar[Like a newlywed]ꦕꦃꦲꦔꦺꦴꦤ꧀ꦕꦃꦲꦔꦺꦴꦤ꧀ꦥꦺꦤꦺꦏ꧀ꦤꦧ꧀ꦭꦶꦩ꧀ꦧꦶꦁꦏꦸꦮꦶCah angon, bocah angon, penekno blimbing kuwi[O sheperd, o sheperd, climb the starfruit tree]ꦭꦸꦚꦸꦭꦸꦚꦸꦥꦺꦤꦺꦏ꧀ꦤꦏꦁꦒꦺꦴꦩ꧀ꦧꦱꦸꦃꦢꦺꦴꦢꦺꦴꦠꦶꦫLunyu lunyu, penekno, kanggo mbasuh dodotiro[Even it's slippery, climb it, (use the starfruit) to clean-up (stains on) your dhoti*)]ꦢꦺꦴꦢꦺꦴꦠꦶꦫꦢꦺꦴꦢꦺꦴꦠꦶꦫꦏꦸꦩꦶꦠꦶꦂꦧꦺꦝꦃꦲꦶꦁꦥꦶꦁꦒꦶꦂDodotiro, dodotiro, kumitir bêdhah ing pinggir[The dhoti, your dhoti, waving, torn at the skirt]ꦢꦺꦴꦤ꧀ꦢꦺꦴꦩꦤꦗ꧀ꦭꦸꦩꦠꦤꦏꦁꦒꦺꦴꦱꦺꦧꦩꦺꦁꦏꦺꦴꦱꦺꦴꦫꦺDondomono, jlumatono, kanggo sebo mêngko sore[Sew it, fix it, to be worn for the evening prayer]ꦩꦸꦩ꧀ꦥꦸꦁꦥꦝꦁꦫꦺꦩ꧀ꦧꦸꦭꦤꦺMumpung padhang rêmbulane[Whilst the moon is bright]ꦩꦸꦩ꧀ꦥꦸꦁꦗꦺꦩ꧀ꦧꦂꦏꦭꦔꦤꦺMumpung jêmbar kalangane[While its circle is so far wide]ꦪꦱꦸꦫꦏꦱꦸꦫꦏ꧀ꦲꦶꦪYo surako surak-iyo[Then cheer-up shouting 'Hiyo!']
Thereupon, the Moon said, "If words hurt, think carefully about the meaning behind them. He who is made irritated, must seek for redress from his own bosom; and at first, may be certain that it is himself that is in the wrong, and not to judge, the long harangue. But, he who often got flatterred, in what so ever he did, surely, couldn't stand it. And Allah knows best."
- Al-Hafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Difference Between Advising and Shaming, accompanied with commentary of Dr. Salih ibn Sa'd al-Suhaymi, Dar as-Sunnah Publishers
- James Northcote, RA, One Hundred Fables, Originals and Selected, J. Johnson
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin
- James Northcote, RA, One Hundred Fables, Originals and Selected, J. Johnson
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin
*) Dhoti, also known as dhuti, mardani, chaadra, dhotar or panchey, in Java and Sunda, known as Dodot, is a type of sarong, tied in a manner that outwardly resembles "loose trousers". It is a lower garment forming part of the national or ethnic costume for men.
