Once there lived a crow in a dense forest. His name was Chokan. Poor Chokan had great difficulty in getting food for himself. The other crows, being stronger than him, always shooed him away whenever it came to sharing food. He often had to remain hungry, but there was nothing much he could do about it as long as he lived in that forest amongst those stronger bully crows. So, he decided to fly away – to a place where he could at least get proper food to eat. Looking for food, he reached a village where he could see a lot of food strewn on the ground. That was the food leftover by the people of the village. Tired and hungry, Chokan was delighted at the sight of so much food, and with not many crows around too. He descended, and ate to his fill. To his pleasant surprise, he found that there was no crow to frighten him away. So glad was he with his discovery that he decided to stay at that place. He had never had it so good in his life. He would frolic around in the village all day, eating leftovers whenever he wanted. After a few days Chokan had changed. He was now a hefty crow, confident and not afraid of any other crow. With his new found confidence, he decided to return to the forest and meet his old friends.
So, he flew back to the forest. His old friends were surprised and impressed. Chokan was no more a weakling now. They would not dare now to shoo him away. In fact, they were a little afraid of him now, and Chokan was aware of this. He would fly around and visit the village to have a meal of the leftovers, whenever he felt hungry.
By now Chokan was getting bored at the forest. He was now quite used to his superiority in the forest and wanted to show it to the outside world also. He soon found an opportunity to do so when there arrived, at the forest, a flock of Mansarowar swans.
Chokan was happy. “I would now show my strength to these swans.”
Flying in different styles, to impress them, he went to the Swans. “Welcome to our forest” he said. “I am glad that now I will be able to have some good competition, because I believe that only swans like you, would have the strength to compete with a super crow like me.”
The swans did not quite want to respond, so they kept quiet.
“I know about a hundred styles of flying, and to the distance – there is no limit. I can fly on and on and on. Would any one of you like to compete with me?”
“No thanks”, said a swan, smilingly. “We do not have time to waste competing with you. We know only one style, and take only that flight which lands us at our destination.”
But Chokan was not the one to desist. He kept challenging the swans, while showing off with different maneuvered flights.”
Seeing that Chokan would not stop, one of the swans came forward smilingly. “ Alright, I will fulfill your wish. Let us have a competition.”
The competition started, with Chokan and the swan taking a northward flight together.
To prove his superiority, Chokan flew in different styles – low, high, straight, oblique etc. The swan went on slowly and consistently. By noon, Chokan felt signs of tiredness. He was even sweating.
“I may not be able to fly much now”, thinking so, he looked downwards looking for a suitable spot to descend. He was shocked. They were flying over a lake. Such a large lake and no sign of land nearby! Chokan felt like crying. His strength had given way, and made it impossible to fly any further. The fear of falling down into the lake equaled only his feeling of shame and ignominy. He lost control over his wings, which were fluttering without any control, making him go down in spirals. The swan, still looking fresh and energetic, asked him jokingly, “I suppose this is a new style of flying, my friend. It appears you are expert in flying, while touching the lake water too.”
Chokan was too tired and too ashamed to reply.
“Save me O dear swan, else I will drown. I have now understood the truth. I can never ever compete with powerful swans like you. I am only an arrogant crow, grown up on the leftovers of human beings”, saying thus, unable to carry himself on, he fell sharply towards the lake below. He was just about to drown, when the strong legs of the swan gripped and lifted him up. The swan carried him all the way back to the forest.
Chokan was embarrassed, but he was much wiser now. He had understood, though the hard way, that doomed is the one, who is arrogant, though growing up on the leftovers of others.
Children, ‘leftovers’ do not involve only eatables. Leftovers can be of many other types too. Cheating in exams is also like eating leftovers – of intelligent or hardworking students. One student works hard, reads, learns and then writes correct answers in the exams. He deserves to get good marks. At the same time, another student, does not work hard but wishes to get good marks by cheating from books or from other students. His mental capabilities can never develop. While cheating he is just eating the leftovers, of other student or of the book.
You are eating the leftovers of your Papa, if you try to take undue advantage of his post, his reputation or standing in the society, by using his name to bully others.
You are eating the leftovers of your parents, if you try to have your own way in the school simply because your father or mother is a teacher in your school.
You are eating the leftovers, if you want to earn a reputation in sports, on the basis of any thing other than your playing skill and ability.
If you go to the extent of stealing or coercion, to get your pocket money You are not only a leftover eater, but much worse.
You are a habitual leftover eater, if you try to force your parents to get you things (Computer, bike, dresses etc.) which you do not deserve.
You are a habitual leftover eater, if you even dream of going abroad, through deception, and without any ability.
Dear children, beware of the habit of eating the leftovers. A leftover eater will always suffer from indigestion, meaning thereby that his mind will never develop. He will never be a great man. He will always remain a servant of others.
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