A Mosquito Conquers a Tiger But Meets a Sad End!
Once upon a time, there was a forest full of animals. One fine day, at sunrise, all the animals and birds were woken by a mighty roar that shook the forest.
A mosquito, which had taken refuge in the fur of a rat, woke up in alarm. It asked its friend, what was that which has woken me up?? The rat said: It is the roar of a tiger. Perhaps, he was having a bad dream. The mosquito thought for a moment and said: I will teach him a lesson, which he will not forget in his life, for almost scaring the life out of me with his mighty voice.
The rat smiled at his little friend: You do not look so frightening that the tiger will get scared of you very easily. No problem. Replied the mosquito. I will show him that though I am small, my sting can be as sharp as a sword. The rat merely shook it’s head: It is all very well for you to say so, and if you are brave, then fly to the tiger and tell him to quit roaring and leave the forest instead of scaring all the other animals in the forest with his mighty roar. The mosquito accepted the challenge, and it flew up to the tiger. The buzzing sound of his wings immediately woke up the tiger, and he opened his eyes; why are you annoying me? Don’t you understand that I have not yet finished sleeping?
The mosquito was extremely upset with the arrogant behavior of the tiger and said: I am the mosquito. How dare you roar in your sleep and frighten all the animals and birds of this forest? The tiger yawned and chomped his jaws and almost bit the mosquito. He said to him: You little insect! Buzz off! Now, you are making me extremely angry!?
The mosquito was angry to hear the words of the tiger, and he decided that he would teach him a lesson which he would never forget for the rest of his life. He flew straight into one of the tiger’s ears and started to sting it. This infuriated the tiger. He clapped his ear loudly with his paw hoping to scare the mosquito out of its ear, but he could not drive the mosquito away. The tiger tried everything... shaking his head violently from side to side hoping to get rid of the mosquito, but this made the mosquito bite only more harder. Finally, in desperation, the tiger cried out: I give up and you win and, I will stop roaring and leave this forest, but please get out of my ear.
The mosquito flew out of the tiger’s ear, and the tiger ran for its life to get rid of this horrible insect, out of the forest into the neighboring forest. All the animals of the forest saw him leaving the forest and congratulated the tiny mosquito for accomplishing this remarkable victory.
All the praise from the animals went straight to the head of the mosquito. He started boasting to other animals in the forest that had not seen the act about how he won and the extraordinary victory over the mighty tiger. The mosquito soon found a spider on its web fast asleep after eating a big fly. Eagerly, the mosquito went up to the spider to give him the good news of how he had got the forest rid of the tiger.
The spider looked at his distinguished guest with respect. It invited the mosquito to sit on its carpet and tell him his amazing tale from the very beginning.
Flattered, the mosquito sat down on the web of the spider, and soon found that it was sticky and he was hopelessly caught in it. Help me! My legs are stuck in your carpet, and I cannot free myself. The spider chuckled at the mosquito’s difficulty. That’s right. He said. It is a special carpet made for catching the easy to fool, talkative and boastful, like you! Perhaps, the end of the story seems a little sad. But after all, the mosquito himself was to blame for his end at the hands of the spider.
(Moral of the story: After doing a good deed, do not boast and sing your praises)
Other Nice links:
Who"s the Noblest of All?
Beg Not of the Beggars
