Think Before You Act: The Timeless Moral Story of the Farmer, the Mongoose, and the Snake

The Farmer, the Mongoose, and the Snake

In a quiet village surrounded by green fields and tall banyan trees, there lived a humble farmer named Raghav. He was known throughout the village as a hardworking and kind man. Raghav lived with his wife, Meera, and their infant son in a small mud house near the edge of the fields. Though their life was simple, their home was filled with love and contentment.


One day, while working in his fields, Raghav found a small injured mongoose trapped near a bush. The little creature looked weak and frightened. Feeling pity, Raghav gently picked it up and brought it home.

Meera looked surprised.
“Why did you bring this animal home?” she asked.

Raghav smiled and replied, “Don’t worry. Mongooses are known to protect homes from snakes. We live close to the fields, and snakes often come near the house. This little one may become our guardian.”

Over time, the mongoose recovered and grew healthy. It became extremely loyal to the family and especially loved the baby. It would sit near the cradle for hours, keeping watch like a devoted soldier.

Meera often laughed and said,
“Look at him! He guards our child better than anyone.”

Life went on peacefully until one unfortunate day changed everything.

One afternoon, Meera received an urgent message from her neighbor asking for help. In a hurry, she prepared to leave the house. She placed her baby safely in the cradle and said aloud,

“I’ll be back soon. Stay here and protect my child.”

The mongoose made a soft sound, almost as if it understood her words.

After Meera left, the house fell silent. Suddenly, from a dark hole near the wall, a long, poisonous snake slithered into the room. Its eyes were fixed on the baby’s cradle.

The mongoose noticed the danger immediately. With a fierce cry, it jumped toward the snake. A deadly fight began. The snake hissed loudly and tried to strike, 

but the mongoose was quick and fearless. After a violent struggle, the mongoose finally killed the snake, tearing it apart to protect the child.

Victorious but exhausted, the mongoose stood near the doorway, its mouth stained with blood.


A few moments later, Meera returned home. As she approached the house, she saw the mongoose running toward her, blood around its mouth.

She froze.
“Oh no!” she cried. “What have you done?”

Without thinking further, her heart filled with fear and anger. She assumed the worst—that the mongoose had killed her baby.

“You wicked creature!” she screamed.


In a fit of rage, Meera picked up a heavy pot lying near the door and threw it at the mongoose. The poor animal fell to the ground and died instantly.

Meera rushed inside, tears streaming down her face, crying,
“My child! My child!”

But what she saw inside shocked her completely.

The baby was sleeping peacefully in the cradle. Nearby lay the dead snake, cut into pieces.

Meera’s legs trembled. She fell to the floor and burst into uncontrollable tears.

“What have I done?” she sobbed. “I killed the one who saved my child.”

When Raghav returned home later that evening, he saw Meera sitting silently beside the lifeless body of the mongoose.

“What happened?” he asked worriedly.

Through tears, Meera told him everything. Raghav listened quietly, his face filled with sorrow.

“This happened because we acted without thinking,” he said softly. “Our anger blinded our judgment.”

They buried the mongoose under a tree near their house. From that day on, Meera and Raghav never made decisions in haste. The loss of their loyal protector became a lifelong lesson.

The villagers often heard Raghav say,
“Anger and assumptions destroy what logic can save.”

And thus, the tragic tale of the farmer, the mongoose, and the snake became a timeless moral story passed down from generation to generation.

THE END

Moral of the Story

Never act without thinking. Hasty decisions based on assumptions can lead to irreversible regret.


Comprehension Questions & Answers

Q1. Who were the main characters in the story?
A: The main characters were the farmer, his wife, their baby, the mongoose, and the snake.

Q2. Why did the farmer bring the mongoose home?
A: The farmer brought the mongoose home because it could protect the house from snakes.

Q3. What danger came to the baby when the mother was away?
A: A poisonous snake entered the house and tried to harm the baby.

Q4. How did the mongoose protect the child?
A: The mongoose fought with the snake and killed it to save the baby.

Q5. Why did the mother kill the mongoose?
A: She saw blood on the mongoose’s mouth and, without thinking, assumed it had harmed her baby.

Moral-Based Questions & Answers

Q6. What mistake did the mother make?
A: She acted in anger and made a decision without thinking or checking the situation.

Q7. What lesson does this story teach us?
A: The story teaches us to think before we act and not make decisions in haste.

Q8. What would have happened if the mother had waited and checked first?
A: The mongoose would have lived, and she would have realized that it saved her baby.

Q9. Why is it wrong to make decisions based on assumptions?
A: Assumptions can be wrong and may lead to regret and loss.

Q10. How can anger affect our decisions?
A: Anger can cloud our thinking and cause us to make poor or harmful decisions.

Critical Thinking Questions

Q11. What should the mother have done instead of reacting immediately?
A: She should have gone inside and checked on her baby before making any decision.

Q12. Can you think of a real-life situation where thinking before acting is important?
A: Yes, during arguments, exams, friendships, or when we feel angry or scared.

Q13. How did the mongoose show loyalty?
A: It risked its life to protect the baby from the snake.

Q14. What feelings did the parents experience at the end of the story?
A: They felt deep sadness, regret, and guilt.

Simple Moral Recap Questions

Q15. Is it good to act quickly when we are angry?
A: No, we should calm down and think first.

Q16. What should we do before blaming someone?
A: We should find out the truth first.

Q17. Complete the sentence: “Think before you ______.”
A: Act.


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