Once upon a time, in a dense forest, lived a clever jackal named Kakabhushundi. He loved exploring the forest but sometimes got into trouble because of his curiosity.
One bright morning, Kakabhushundi wandered near the riverbank and noticed something unusual floating on the water.
“What is this strange thing?” Kakabhushundi wondered aloud.
It was a large drum, drifting gently downstream. Unable to resist, Kakabhushundi tapped it lightly with his paw. Suddenly, the drum made a loud “BOOM!” that echoed across the trees.
“Oh! What was that noise?” Kakabhushundi jumped back, his tail bristling in fright.
At that moment, his wise friend, the old tortoise Mitra, ambled by.
“Kakabhushundi, why are you looking so startled?” asked Mitra.
“Look, Mitra! I found this drum in the river, and it shouted at me!” Kakabhushundi exclaimed.
Mitra chuckled wisely.
“That is not shouting, my friend. It is a drum. When struck, it makes a sound. But you must always be careful with strange things.”
Kakabhushundi’s curiosity was stronger than his caution.
“But Mitra, maybe it hides something valuable inside!”
Mitra shook his head.
“Curiosity is good, but recklessness can cause trouble. Even small things can be dangerous if you do not understand them.”
Just then, as Kakabhushundi leaned closer to peek inside, the drum rolled suddenly and tumbled back into the river, splashing water all over him.
“Ahhh! It attacked me!” Kakabhushundi cried, shaking his wet fur.
Mitra laughed and said,
“See, Kakabhushundi? That is why thinking before acting is very important. Things are not always as they seem.”
Kakabhushundi sighed but smiled.
“You are right, Mitra. I will be more careful next time. But it was still a bit exciting!”
From that day forward, Kakabhushundi never touched strange objects without thinking first, and the forest animals often laughed about the day the drum scared the jackal.