One day a boa constrictor was hunting for birds. It must be said that boas climb trees very well and very rarely fall from them. But this time it happened that when the maha was creeping up on the yellow-winged parrot, he gaped and fell from the tree straight into the hole. And the hole was not simple - it was a trap that the Guam Indians dug.
The walls of the pit were smeared with clay, and the boa constrictor could not get out. In vain he stood on his tail, stretched his neck and tried to catch his head on the edge of the pit - it was all useless, every time he broke down and fell.
And at this time, Brother Rabbit was running past. He stopped, looked into the hole and whistled in surprise.
- That's the thing! - he said. - Did Mr. Boa himself get into trouble?
“Listen, rabbit,” said the boa constrictor. - What should you do to help me get out? Look how many branches lie around. Push them into the pit.
The rabbit was kind, although he was afraid of snakes, he began to throw one branch after another into the hole. When there were a lot of branches, the boa constrictor easily climbed out of the trap.
“Ugh,” he said. “I was so hungry while I was sitting in this damned hole.” Come on, long-eared one, get into my mouth! - And he opened his jaws so wide that it seemed to the rabbit as if the earth itself had opened up and was ready to swallow him.
- Wait! - the rabbit screamed. -You started an unheard of crime. After all, no one ever pays for good with evil. Don't believe me? Ask anyone.
“Okay,” the boa constrictor agreed. “We’ll ask, but if other animals think differently, I’ll swallow you right there on the spot.”
Before they had time to go to the shore of the lake, they saw a mule nibbling grass.
“Listen, buddy,” the boa constrictor turned to him, “we have an argument.” The rabbit says that good cannot be repaid with evil. I strongly disagree with him. What do you think?
The mule chewed his lips, disfigured by the iron bridle, scratched his back, covered with scabs from the beating, on the tree, and said:
“For many years I carried my master’s luggage from village to village, I worked flawlessly and carefully. There were times when he, tired, fell asleep on my back and I brought him straight to the house. His children played with me. And now, when the owner needed money, he decided to sell me to a merchant. He will have three times more luggage, and he will beat his mules three times harder. No, no matter how much good deeds you do, you will not find justice, you will only get punches as a reward!
- Yeah! - said the boa constrictor. - Whose truth? Are you ready?
“Wait,” the rabbit begged, “let’s ask someone else.”
And they moved on. They didn’t have time to walk even a hundred steps when they saw an ox lying in the water.
“What do you think, buddy,” the boa constrictor asked him, “is it possible to pay for good with evil?”
Ox shook his head sadly.
“I’m lying in warm, soft, pleasant mud,” he said. - Really, what could be better? But this is all for the last time. For many years I worked for a man, served him faithfully, but now I am old, and the owner said that tomorrow he will take me to the knackers. Is this fair?
“Yes, yes,” muttered the boa constrictor. - That's what I'm saying. Stop your tricks, long-eared one, and get into my mouth!
- One more, last time! - the rabbit begged, and they walked along the shore.
They walked until they saw a turtle basking in the sun.
- Good turtle! - the rabbit begged, - help. This is how the boa constrictor and I had a disagreement...
And he told the whole story.
The turtle immediately realized that the rabbit couldn’t be saved just like that, it needed some cunning.
- Alas! - she sighed. “The wise brown boa constrictor is right, there’s nothing to argue about.” Where has it been seen that good is paid for with good? But I'm interested in something else. How could it happen that such a magnificent, strong, intelligent snake could not get out of the hole on its own? This can't be true, you're both deceiving me!
But it must be said that brown maha boa constrictors are very proud and do not tolerate being called liars.
- Am I deceiving you?! - Maha exclaimed. - Oh, you pathetic frying pan, come with us immediately, I’ll show you how it happened.
And he led the turtle and the rabbit to the place where there was a hole.
“Yes, indeed, its edges are slippery,” agreed the turtle. “But the hole is shallow, and it didn’t cost you anything to stand on your tail and get out of it.”
- Insignificant relative of the snail, I will show you that you are wrong again! - the boa constrictor exclaimed and, without hesitation, slid to the bottom of the trap.
“Yes, you’re right, I’m just a pitiful bone frying pan and an insignificant relative of the snail,” said the turtle. -Happy stay! Let's go, brother rabbit!
And the turtle and the rabbit disappeared into the forest.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru