“In a certain pond, there lived three fishes, their names were: Anagatavidhata, Pratyutpannamati, and Yadbhavishya.
“One day, some fishermen were passing by. They saw this pond and said to each other, ‘We have never investigated this particular pond. It’s full of fishes! But we already have a good catch today, and it’s evening, so let’s go home and come back here tomorrow.’ So the fishermen left.
“Now, when Anagatavidhata heard this, he was dumbfounded, as if struck by a thunderbolt, and he called all the fishes together and said to them, ‘Did you hear what the fishermen said just now? Let’s leave immediately for some other pond, for:
‘When a weak man meets a stronger opponent,
The best thing he can do is run,
Or else make for a hideout,
There’s no other way out.’
“I think the fishermen will return tomorrow morning,” Anagatavidhata went on, “and then they will start killing all the fishes. So it’s not wise to stay here a moment longer, for:
‘Those who, in time of calamity,
Can without difficulty go elsewhere,
Avoid seeing the destruction,
Of their families and land.’
“When Pratyutpannamati heard this, he said, ‘You’re right! Let us go somewhere else!’
“But Yadbhavishya laughed loudly and said, ‘Oh, I don’t agree with you! Would it be right to give up this pond, that belonged to our forefathers, just because of the talk of fishermen! And in any case, if it’s time for us to die, death will certainly not spare us, wherever we are, for:
‘A man whom fortune smiles on,
Though unprotected, eludes destruction,
But the man with luck against him is done for,
Even though he be well protected.’
“So, I won’t come with you,” continued Yadbhavishya. “Do as you think best.”
“When Anagatavidhata heard his decision, he left the lake immediately with his family.
“Early next morning, Pratyutpannamati saw the fishermen coming in the distance and he too left the lake with his family.
“The fishermen arrived at the lake, threw their nets and caught all the fishes, including Yadbhavishya and they all died.
“And so,” continued the female tittibha, “that’s why I said:
‘He who puts his mind to a problem
Before it presents itself,
And he who puts his mind to it
When it actually arrives,
Both these categories will escape,
But those who depend on luck,
Will be destroyed,
As Yadbhavishya was, by the fishermen.’
“But my dear,” said the male tittibha, “do you think I’m as stupid as Yadbhavishya! You’ll see how brilliant I am when I dry up the Sea!”
“How can you oppose the Sea!” retorted the female tittibha, for they say:
‘When a weakling gets angry,
He hurts only himself.’
And,
‘He who attacks an enemy
Without knowing his strength,
Will be destroyed like the moth in fire.’
“But my dear,” said the male tittibha, “don’t talk like that! Even when you are small, if you are zealous, you can overcome even the strongest opponents. As they say: ‘An elephant can be brought under control by a goad, Well, is a goad as big as an elephant? When a lamp is lighted, the darkness disappears, Well, is the lamp as big as the darkness? When a thunderbolt strikes it, the mountain crumbles, Well, is a thunderbolt as big as the mountain? So the man with zeal is the man who is strong, The size is unimportant.’
“And so,” continued the male tittibha bird, “I shall dry up the whole Sea, by sucking it up in my beak.”
“My dear fellow,” said his wife, “how could you suck up the Sea when the Sindhu and the Ganga along with hundreds of other rivers flow into it. What’s the good of babbling?”
“My dear,” said the male tittibha, “my beak is as solid as iron. Why can’t I suck up the Sea, if I work day and night at it? And until a man puts some effort into what he is doing, he does not succeed.”
“My dear,” said the female, “if you really want to quarrel with the Sea, then send a message to some of the other birds and do this with their help, for:
‘Small insignificant things united,
Become unconquerable;
Thin blades of grass, woven into a thick rope
Can tie up an elephant.
In the same way working together,
A sparrow, a woodpecker, a fly, and a frog
Killed an elephant.'”
“How was that?” asked the male tittibha.
And his wife told him: THE STORY OF THE ELEPHANT AND THE SPARROW
