The stories under banyan tree
Old and wise
Once there was a large forest in India. It provided shelter to a number of birds, animals and other living creatures. An elephant, a monkey and a parrot lived under a big banyan tree in that forest. They were very god friends quarreling. This continued for a long time, ad all three of them felt very happy.
One day the monkey said, `What has happened to us? We are quarreling all the time.’
`Why cannot we live peacefully together as before?’ said the elephant.
`Yes, let’s be good friends again. Let’s get back the good old days when we were al so happy,’ said the parrot.
The monkey thought and thought and remarked that there was one way of bringing back peace among them. He said, `the oldest among us should guide the other two’.
`Why the oldest?’ asked the elephant. `And how can we find out which one of us is the oldest?’
`The age makes one wise. So the oldest must be the wisest,’ the monkey said.
`It is simple to decide who is the oldest,’ said the parrot. `All of us have been living under this banyan tree for a long time. Let each of us tell large the tree was when he was a little baby’.
The monkey and the elephant accepted this suggestion. The parrot asked the monkey to tell is story first.
`When I was a little baby’ said the monkey, `I could eat the leaves of the topmost branch of the banyan tree by stretching my neck just a little. This shows that I have known this tree since its childhood.’
The elephant spoke next. `When I was a little baby, I could step over the banyan tree,’ he said. `Only by being very careful, I avoided treating on it. It is clear from this that I have known this tree since its infancy.’
`I remember that when I was a baby,’ began the parrot, `I went to the mountains with my mother. From there we brought some seeds. I planted one of the seeds here, and this banyan tree grew from that. Thus, I have known the tree from its very birth.’
The monkey and the elephant listened to the parrot’s story with great interest. When he had finished, the elephant said, `You are certainly the oldest. You shall rule both of us.’
`Yes, we accept you as master,’ cried the monkey.
But the parrot, who was not only old but also wise, said, `no, nobody is going to rule anybody. We are all friends. We will make some rules for ourselves and we will obey them’.
From that day on, the three friends lived happily and never quarreled with one another.
The tree that told the truth
It is a play.
Characters in this drama
Hamid and Abdul were two friends.
Judge
Narrator
Narrator- Hamid and Abdul, they two lived in a village. Hamid was a noble person but Abdul often cheated people. One day Abdul came to Hamid.
Abdul- Hamid, my friend, I have to buy a pair of bulls. Please lend me six thousand rupees.
Hamid- here takes the money, my dear friend.
Abdul- thank you, Hamid, I will return the money within two months.
Narrator- two months passed, Abdul did not come to return the money. Six months passed and still he did not come. After one year Hamid went to him. Hamid- Abdul, my best friend! One year ago you borrowed six thousand rupees from me. Kindly return the money to me now.
Abdul- what money? I never took any money from you.
Hamid: - have you forgotten? You wanted to buy a pair of bulls. You promised to return my six thousand rupees within two months. I have waited for full one year. Do you remember now?
Abdul: - no, no. I did not borrow any money from you. Why are you after me?
Narrator- it was a big shocked to Hamid. His own friend had cheated him. He went to the court of law. The judge called Abdul to know the truth.
Judge- Abdul, did you borrow six thousand rupees from Hamid?
Abdul- no, sir, I did not borrow any money from him. He is telling a lie.
Judge- Hamid, when and where did you lend him the money?
Hamid- sir, I lent him the money one year ago. I gave it to him under a banyan tree outside my village.
Judge: - well. Call the banyan tree to the court. It will tell the truth.
Hamid- my lord, how can a tree come here? How will it talk?
Judge- it will. Go and read out my orders to the tree.
(The judge writes his order on a sheet of paper Hamid takes it and goes out)
Narrator- an hour passed and still Hamid did not return. Abdul was smiling to himself.
Judge- Abdul, what is the matter? Hamid has not returned yet. One hour has passed. Is the tree very far from here?
Abdul: - yes, sir. It is about six kilometers from here.
Judge: - do you know where the tree is?
Abdul: - yes, sir. It is in the forest near our village.
Judge- then we shall have to wait for one hour more.
(After time Hamid comes back to the court, but there is no tree with him).
Hamid- sir, I read out your order to the banyan tree, but it did not move even am inch from its place.
Judge: - you are right, Hamid. But the tree has told me the truth without coming here. Abdul knows all about the tree. And I know all about Abdul. Am I right, Abdul?
(Abdul has nothing to say. He has to pay back the money to Hamid.)
The friend of the withered tree
Near the city Hyderabad, there was a big garden with lots of trees. Most of the trees were big with many branches and leaves. There was a great banyan tree which was the home to many birds. Once some woodcutters came, and most of the birds left the tree. But there was one parrot which was still there. This bird had learnt to fly from the banyan tree. The tree was his best friend. It was his home for many years. He did not want to leave the tree its misfortunes. The parrot looked sad and started chirping loudly.
People on their morning walk, in the garden so much noise. They gathered near the tree and drove away the woodcutters. The parrot now lives happily and greets people with a `thank you’ each morning.
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