A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed

In the middle of a dense forest, there was a serene lake where a tortoise lived in the clear, cool waters. Nearby, a jackal called a cave home. The tortoise and the jackal were fast friends and got along famously. They often sat in the shade of the bamboo trees that grew beside the lake, talking about everything under the sun.

One day, while they were catching up on news, a leopard approached to drink water. He spotted the jackal and the tortoise at the same time they noticed him. The jackal fled in panic, leaving the poor tortoise too slow to escape or hide. He pulled his head into his hard shell and froze in place. With a swift swipe of his paw, the leopard grasped the tortoise. However, despite his efforts, he could not break the tortoise’s shell. The jackal, watching from a distance, devised a plan.

Slowly, the jackal approached the leopard and spoke respectfully. “Dear sir,” he said with a feigned innocence, “the best way to deal with a tortoise shell is to throw it into the water. The shell will soak up and soften, making it easier to peel off. This is how we have traditionally done it in our family. Try it and see.”

The foolish leopard thought it made sense. “What a good idea!” he exclaimed, and did just that. As the tortoise was tossed into the water, he called out, “Thank you, friend jackal! I was born and bred in the lake, Mr. Leopard, born and bred!” Then he swam away quickly.

Several birds in the trees around the lake, who witnessed the leopard’s humiliation, laughed and tittered so loudly that the leopard scampered away, never to be seen again. Meanwhile, the jackal and the tortoise continued their cherished friendship, undeterred by the encounter.