The Old Snake and the King of Mice

In a forest lived an old snake named Mandavisha. As he aged, his eyesight weakened considerably, and he could no longer hunt effectively, leaving him frequently hungry and weak.

One day, while sitting forlornly, feeling utterly defeated by hunger, a mouse passed by. This mouse, named Hiranyaka, was the king of all the mice in the area. He asked the snake, "Why do you sit so quietly and sadly? You used to always be ready to hunt."

The snake devised a clever lie. "I once accidentally bit and killed a Brahmin's son," he said. "As punishment, the grieving Brahmin cursed me — from now on, I can only survive by carrying mice on my back, and I am forbidden from hunting ever again. Unless a mouse offers to ride me, I will starve."

Hiranyaka felt sorry for the snake. He also realized that if the snake carried him around, other animals in the forest would be impressed and intimidated by the sight, boosting his own status as king. So he agreed to ride upon the snake's back.

At first, the snake carried Hiranyaka respectfully, carefully earning his trust. But after some days, the snake began secretly catching and eating Hiranyaka's fellow mice, one by one, whenever he found them alone.

Hiranyaka gradually grew suspicious as he noticed his fellow mice disappearing. Eventually, he discovered the truth and realized the snake had been deceiving and devouring his subjects all along. He was furious and devastated, but he understood it was too late to undo the damage already done.

Hiranyaka immediately stopped riding the snake and led his remaining subjects far away to a safer place where the snake could never reach them again. The snake was left alone and hungry once more.

Moral: Placing long-term, unquestioning trust in a natural enemy — even out of pity or a perceived obligation — can be extremely dangerous. Recognizing the truth in time and protecting oneself and others is essential.