Long ago, in a deep forest, lived a cunning fox and a gentle-natured camel. The camel was innocent, hardworking, and trusting. The fox, on the other hand, was clever, selfish, and sly. Still, strangely, they had a friendship.
One day, the fox said to the camel,
“Friend, let’s go to the nearby village together. There’s plenty of crops grown there. I’ve been many times, and it’s easy to find food. You should come and eat too!”
The camel hesitated,
“But people live in villages! What if we get caught?”
The fox laughed and said,
“What’s to fear? I know when to enter and when to escape. Just trust me.”
The simple camel believed his friend and started the journey. At night, they approached the village. When everyone fell asleep, they entered a field. The camel quietly ate wheat, while the fox stole a chicken and began to eat.
Suddenly, the fox became so happy after eating that he started singing loudly!
Hearing the noise, the villagers woke up and came running with sticks. The fox quickly escaped into a hole, but the large camel couldn’t run. The villagers caught him, beat him badly, and chased him all the way to the forest.
Exhausted, the camel sat down near the forest, panting in pain. He looked at the fox and said slowly,
“You knew that loud noise would bring danger. Why did you sing?”
The fox laughed and replied,
“Friend! Singing after eating is just my habit. What can I do?”
The camel remained silent and only let out a long sigh.
The next day, the fox said again,
“Let’s go take a bath in the river! It’ll help freshen up.”
The camel agreed and went to the river with the fox. They bathed while splashing water in the middle of the river.
After a while, the camel said,
“Friend! I have a habit — after bathing, I dip underwater and shake myself as I rise.”
Saying this, he suddenly dipped with the fox on his back. The fox flew into the water and fell. He didn’t know how to swim. Somehow, he managed to reach the bank, soaking wet.
The camel came to him and said,
“Friend! That’s just my habit — you didn’t know?”
The fox sat silently, shivering.
The camel added,
“Those who put others in danger and blame it on their habit — one day, they fall victim to that habit themselves.”
Saying this, the camel calmly walked away. And the fox sat alone, cold and speechless.
Moral:
“Trust is not enough; knowing who deserves your trust is more important. Those who care only about themselves will one day be hurt by their own selfishness.”