On the banks of a flowing river was a peepal tree. On the tree was the nest of a happy and friendly dove.
It was afternoon and the dove jumped from one branch to the other, flapping it’s wings and chirping away merrily.
All of a sudden, his roving eyes fell on a little ant far below. The ant had come to the banks of the river to quench her thirst. As she was about to drink the water, she slipped and was carried away by the force of the flowing water.
She struggled to keep afloat. As she was on the point of drowning, the dove saw her from the branch above. He plucked a leaf and let it fall into the water near the ant.
From the branch of the tree, the dove shouted, “My friend! Climb on to the leaf. You will not be drown then!”
The ant climbed onto it and floated safely to the bank. The grateful ant thanked the dove and went away.
Days went by the ant lived happily in the bark of the same tree.
One day, a hunter came that way. He stood under the tree and took aim at the dove. The ant remembered how the dove had saved his life and wanted to repay his kindness. Realizing that the dove was in danger, the ant stung the hunter hard on the foot.
The hunter cried out in pain and dropped the bow and arrow. The dove heard the hunter’s shout and immediately flew away to safety.
Moral: “One good turn deserves another!”