The Partridge and the Rabbit's Dispute

Panchatantra Story: The Cat's Judgement

The Partridge and the Rabbit's Dispute

Once upon a time, in a green and peaceful forest near a small village, there stood a very big peepul tree. The tree was old and strong, and its wide branches gave cool shade to many birds and animals. Under this peepul tree, there lived a partridge, a small and gentle bird. She had built a cozy nest with dry grass, leaves, and soft feathers. This nest was her home for many years.

The partridge loved her nest very much. Every morning, she would wake up early, sing sweet songs, and fly around to find food. In the evening, she always came back to her nest to rest. The nest was safe, warm, and peaceful.

One summer day, the partridge flew far away in search of food because nearby grains had finished. She thought,
“I will return before sunset. My nest will be waiting for me.”

But while the partridge was away, something unexpected happened.

A rabbit, who was wandering in the forest, came near the peepul tree. He was tired and looking for a safe place to stay. When he saw the empty nest under the tree, he became happy.

“Oh! What a nice place,” said the rabbit. “It is cool, safe, and perfect for me.”

Without thinking much, the rabbit entered the nest and made himself comfortable. He thought,
“No one is here. This nest must be empty for a long time. I will live here now.”

In the evening, the partridge returned. She was tired but happy, thinking about resting in her nest. But when she reached under the peepul tree, she was shocked.

“My nest!” cried the partridge. “Why is a rabbit inside my home?”

The rabbit looked up and replied calmly,
“I am living here now. This nest was empty, so I made it my home.”

The partridge became angry and said,
“This is my nest. I have lived here for many years. You must leave at once!”

But the rabbit refused.
“You were not here for many days,” he argued. “So this nest is no longer yours.”

Soon, both started shouting. Their loud voices attracted many animals and birds. A deer, a monkey, some sparrows, and even a turtle gathered around. Everyone listened carefully, but no one could decide who was right.

Finally, an old crow said,
“This problem is serious. You should go to a judge who can give a fair decision.”

The partridge and the rabbit agreed. They decided to find a judge together. They walked for a long time, asking many animals, but no one wanted to judge their case.

After traveling far, they reached the banks of the holy river Ganges. There, at a distance, they saw a tom-cat.

The moment they saw him, both felt scared. Everyone in the forest knew that the tom-cat was clever and dangerous. He was known to trick animals.

But suddenly, something strange happened.

The tom-cat stood on his back legs, closed his eyes, and started praying loudly.
“Oh God! Give me peace. Make me kind and pure,” he said.

The partridge whispered to the rabbit,
“Look! He seems holy and kind now.”

The rabbit nodded.
“Yes, maybe he has changed.”

So they gathered courage and went near the cat. When the cat finished his prayers, the partridge explained everything. She spoke politely and told how the nest was hers.

Then the rabbit told his side of the story and said why he believed the nest belonged to him.

The cat listened quietly. He did not interrupt. He looked calm and wise.

After a minute, the cat said in a soft voice,
“My children, I am very old. My ears do not hear well, and my eyes do not see clearly. Please come closer and tell me the story again.”

The partridge and the rabbit trusted him.
“He is old and holy,” they thought.

Slowly, they moved closer to the cat.

But as soon as they came near, the cat opened his eyes wide. In one quick move, he attacked them. Before they could run away, the wicked cat killed them and ate them.

The animals watching from far away were shocked and scared. They understood their mistake too late.

An old turtle sighed and said,
“Looks can be very deceiving. We should never trust someone just because they appear good.”

THE END

Moral of the Story

Never trust a stranger blindly.
The tom-cat looked holy and kind, but he was cruel inside. This story teaches children to be careful and alert. Not everyone who speaks sweetly is good. We must always think before trusting others.

In today’s world, this lesson is very important. Just like the forest, the world is full of different people. Some may look friendly but may not have good intentions. Always be careful, ask elders for help, and never make quick decisions based only on appearances.

True wisdom is being kind but also being careful.

Comprehension Questions

  1. Where did the partridge live?
    Answer: The partridge lived in a nest under a big peepul tree.

  2. Who took the partridge’s nest while she was away?
    Answer: A rabbit took her nest.

  3. Why did the rabbit think the nest was his?
    Answer: The rabbit thought it was empty for many days, so it was no longer the partridge’s.

  4. What did the partridge do when she found the rabbit in her nest?
    Answer: She became angry and asked the rabbit to leave.

  5. Who suggested taking the problem to a judge?
    Answer: The animals and birds in the forest suggested it.

  6. Where did the partridge and the rabbit find the tom-cat?
    Answer: They found him near the banks of the Ganges.

  7. What did the tom-cat do when they came near him?
    Answer: He closed his eyes, stood on his hind legs, and prayed loudly.

  8. What happened when the partridge and rabbit trusted the tom-cat?
    Answer: The cat tricked them, killed them, and ate them.

Moral and Life Lesson Questions

  1. Why should we not trust strangers blindly?
    Answer: Because some strangers may look kind but could be dangerous or dishonest.

  2. How can we know if someone is truly trustworthy?
    Answer: By being careful, asking questions, and not trusting only by appearance.

  3. What can we learn from the rabbit and the partridge’s mistake?
    Answer: We should not believe everything someone says; we should be cautious and think before trusting.

  4. Why is it important to ask for help from adults or elders?
    Answer: Because they have experience and can help us stay safe.

  5. What should you do if you feel scared of someone?
    Answer: Stay away, tell a parent or teacher, and never go near them alone.

Critical Thinking / Discussion Questions

  1. Do you think the partridge could have handled the situation differently? How?
    Answer: Yes, she could have asked a safe friend or elder for help instead of trusting a stranger.

  2. Why do you think the cat pretended to be holy?
    Answer: To trick the partridge and rabbit so he could catch them easily.

  3. What are some ways we can stay safe in real life, like the partridge and rabbit?
    Answer: We can stay close to safe adults, never talk to strangers alone, and be careful before trusting anyone.

  4. Can you think of a time when someone or something looked nice but was not safe?
    Answer: (Children can share personal examples; teachers/parents can guide discussion.)

Fun Activity Questions

  1. Draw the big peepul tree with the partridge’s nest and the rabbit.

  2. Act out the story with friends – who will be the partridge, the rabbit, and the cat?

  3. Make a list of 5 things that can help animals stay safe.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter - A Traditional Zulu Story

Image
The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter - A Traditional Zulu Story The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter - A Traditional Zulu Story Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was a wide and sunny land filled with tall grass, green trees, and many wild animals. In this beautiful land lived a hunter. But this hunter was not like the brave and hardworking hunters in old stories. He was very lazy. Every day, the hunter sat under the shade of a big tree. The tree was old and strong, and its leaves were wide and cool. The hunter liked to sleep there all day. He did not like to walk, run, or hunt. He did not like to use his bow and arrow. Most of all, he did not like to work hard. The hunter was always hungry. His stomach growled all the time. But instead of getting up to find food, he just sat and dreamed. “Oh, I wish food would come to me by itself,” he said again and again. “I do not want to chase animals. I do not want to work. I want an easy life.” One hot afternoon, as the hunter sat under his tr...
Read more

The Tortoise, the Dog, and the Farmer: Learning Not to Steal

Image
The Tortoise, the Dog, and the Farmer: Learning Not to Steal - A Nigerian Folk Tale The Tortoise, the Dog, and the Farmer: Learning Not to Steal Once upon a time, in the animal kingdom of Nigeria, there lived many animals who shared the same land, forests, and villages. They lived together happily, helping one another and enjoying the gifts of nature. But one year, something very bad happened. There was a long dry season. The rain did not fall for many months. Rivers dried up, plants stopped growing, and farms became empty. Because of this, a terrible famine came to the land. Food was very hard to find. The animals were hungry every day. They became thin, weak, and sick. Parents worried about their children, and everyone searched for food from morning until night. Among all these animals lived a clever Tortoise. Tortoise was known for his slow walk and sharp mind. He loved food more than anything else. During the famine, Tortoise was always hungry. His stomach made loud noise...
Read more

The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter

Image
The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter - A Traditional Zulu Story The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter Long, long ago, when the world was still learning how to grow, there was a wide land full of grass, trees, and animals. In this land lived a man who was known by everyone as   the lazy hunter . He had strong arms and sharp eyes, but he did not like to use them. Instead of hunting like other people in his village, he spent most of his days lying on the soft ground under a big bowbob tree. The bowbob tree gave cool shade, and the hunter loved to sleep there. He would stretch his legs, close his eyes, and dream about food. His stomach was often empty, but he did not want to walk far or work hard. “Oh, how I wish food could come to me,” the hunter said one afternoon. “Why should I run and hunt when my body feels so tired?” Not far from the tree, a group of springbok were eating grass in the open field. The hunter watched them with hungry eyes, but he did not move. He only sighed and ...
Read more