A cruel elephant called Jumbo let loose a reign of terror in a jungle. He would walk around, and destroy the nest of birds, step upon their eggs and break them, or kill colonies and colonies of ants. The frogs too were worried, because it had destroyed many of their eggs and tadpoles. But there was nothing that they could do because the elephant was a huge beast, and they were tiny creatures.
The elephant was a clever one, however. It never troubled the bigger animals. There were lions, tigers and leopards too. Bears, foxes and wolves too lived in one corner of the jungle. But there was no threat to the security of their lives and those of the children.
The elders of Jumbo advised him not to be cruel. They told this that the forest was their common home, and they need to be kind and cooperative. They also warned him that if he continued to be cruel, his bad days would surely come, early or late. But he would not listen to anyone. He was a stubborn elephant, and did whatever he liked. So everyone hated him.
The small birds, ants, insects and frogs were weaker creatures. Killing them would not bring meat or anything to a huge elephant like an elephant. But he was cruel by nature, and cruel beings derive pleasure by bringing harms and ruins to others.
A male baya had built a beautiful nest on the branch of a small shrub in a bush. It had travelled far and wide to find the right kind of grass to build the nest. The inside of the nest was so artistic that the female baya had agreed to stay with him even in her first visit. You know, the male bayas get the females only if the latter like the nest built by the male bayas.
In due course, she laid four eggs, and within a few weeks four beautiful young birds came out. The parent bayas took care of their children turn by turn. When the male went out to find food, the female stayed and cuddled them in the nest. When the female was out, the male warmed them with love. The family thrived in love and care.
On the root of the same shrub, there was a colony of ants. They would bring dead earthworms and grasshoppers from far off lands, and share with the bayas. The birds would flap the lizards away when they came to eat the ants and their eggs. The two neighbors—the ants and the bayas—lived in peace, and always helped one another.
Near the colony and the nest, there was a small pond. A family of frogs lived there. The female had laid eggs in the water, and young tadpoles were coming out. They were lovely like tiny fishes, and swam freely in water. The birds always loved to watch them in their playful moments.
The frogs always crocked when they saw some dangerous animal passing through the regions. This way the ants would get the information and move into their holes. The birds too would look for their safety without making any noise.
This was the community of the animals. But their common concern was Jumbo, the cruel elephant. They had heard about his mischief. Jumbo had not come to their place yet, but the fear was always there.
On afternoon, the unfortunate thing happened. Jumbo stepped upon the colony of the ants under the shrub, and killed many. Next, he projected his trunk upward and threw the nest into the air. The young, wingless bayas fell on the ground. He stepped upon all of them and killed cruelly. The parent bayas flew to the top of another tree, and started crying for their children who lay dead on the ground below.
Then Jumbo rushed to the pond and stirred the water. Slowly he moved into it and started churning the whole pond with its trunk and legs. Many frogs died, many tadpoles got buried in the puddle, and many eggs broke. The peace of the region was gone.
When the cruel elephant was gone, the worried parents gathered on a rock, and started discussing. The mother baya said, “My goodness! He was such a big animal. I had never seen such an animal in my life.”
“And equally cruel. He is the cruelest animal in the world, I think,” the male baya added.
The mother ant did not say anything because she had lost the highest number of children. The father frog said, “His legs! They were bigger than that old tree there.”
The mother ant wanted a revenge. She thought for a while and said, “Can’t we do anything to Jumbo? He has destroyed our lives.”
The bayas and frogs shook their heads. Jumbo was such a big creature, and they were tiny. They thought they could do nothing.
“Don’t lose heart. I have an idea. Listen to me very carefully.”
“It’s interesting. Come on, tell it out,” father frog urged.
Mother ant said, “Bayas, you have wings. Next time when he comes, fly after him and see where and when he sleeps.”
OK said the bayas. Then she told the secret plan in their ears. All became happy and resolved that they would do as told my mother ant.
After a few days, the bayas reported that Jumbo was sleeping on the grass near the V-shaped gorge. They all went. Mother ant said something to the bayas, and with a start they flew and pricked the eyes of Jumbo and broke both of them.
Jumbo became blind and could not move. He started jumping and crying. After sometime, he helplessly lay there and started calling his mother.
In the mean time, the mother ant entered his head through his trunk, and started biting painfully. The pain of the eyes, and the pain inside the trunk grew unbearable for Jumbo. He wanted water.
The frog went on the edge of the V-shaped gorge and started croaking. Jumbo thought that he could find water there. He ran towards it. As he was rushing, mother ant managed to get out of its trunk.
When he reached the edge of the gorge, father frog jumped a step downhill. Jumbo too made a jump, and lo, he was down there in the deep gorge, waiting for death.
The bayas, mother ant and father frog became happy. Their joint work brought ruin to the cruel elephant. The bayas and the father frog thanked mother ant for her wonderful idea. Thereafter, they lived with happiness in the same forest for many years.