The Faithful Mongoose

The Faithful Mongoose

Once there lived a farmer with his wife and infant son in a village. The farmer and his wife cherished their son deeply. One day while returning from the fields, the farmer discovered a weak and injured mongoose lying beside the road. He brought the little creature home and decided that it would make an excellent pet for his son. Although his wife was hesitant, she reluctantly agreed.

The farmer nursed the mongoose back to health and fed it well. In no time, the mongoose and the farmer's son became inseparable friends, growing up together.

One day, the farmer's wife had to go to the market, leaving their son in her husband's care. She reminded him not to let the mongoose near their child, feeling uneasy about the animal's presence. The farmer assured his wife that he would take good care of the baby.

Later, the farmer was called away by a local moneylender who had lent him some money in the past. He couldn't take his son with him and left him in his cradle with the mongoose. Believing that the mongoose was an intelligent creature, he trusted it to keep their child safe.

When the farmer's wife returned home, she found the mongoose outside, covered in blood on its face and paws. She immediately thought the worst and accused the mongoose of harming their son. She hit the mongoose with a basket of vegetables in her fury.

However, when she went inside the house, she found her child sound asleep in his cradle. But she also saw a black snake, torn to pieces and bleeding on the floor. The snake was incredibly poisonous and could have harmed their child. She realized that the loyal mongoose had killed the snake to protect her child.

With tears in her eyes, she picked up the basket and went outside to check on the mongoose. But it was too late; the loyal creature had died from the blow. The farmer's wife understood her mistake and felt deep regret for what she had done.

From that day on, the farmer and his wife mourned the death of the faithful mongoose, who had sacrificed its life to protect their child. They learned a valuable lesson about judging others without understanding the full story.