The Deep inside a forest, there was a pond. Many fishes, crabs and frogs lived in the pond. Theirs was a happy and peaceful life.

Among them lived two beautiful fishes named Sahasrabuddhi and Shatabuddhi. They were bigger than the other fishes in the pond. They were very proud of their good looks and intelligence.

In the same pond lived a frog with his wife. His name was Ekkabuddhi. The fishes and frogs were good friends. They all led an undisturbed life.

But one day two fishermen, returning from the river in the forest after fishing. came across the pond. It was late in the evening and as usual all the fishes and frogs were at play. Sahasrabuddhi, Shatabuddhi, Ekkabuddhi and many others joined the game. They leaped high into the air and chased each other.

Seeing the beautiful scene the fishermen were amazed and stopped in their tracks.

"How beautiful they look?" said one fisherman.

"Yes. And so many of them too," replied the other.

"The pond does not look very deep," said the first fisherman. "Let us catch some of them."

"It is already very late and we have a heavy load to carry a long way. Let's come back tomorrow," suggested the other fisherman.

Ekkabuddhi turned to the others in the pond and said, "Did you not hear what the fishermen said? We must leave this pond for a safer place."

"Just because two fishermen said they would come back to catch us tomorrow, you want us to leave our home and flee. For all we know, they might not come back," said Sahasrabuddhi.

"Even if they come back to catch us I know a thousand tricks to get away."

"And even if your thousand ways fail, I know another hundred ways to escape," said Shatabuddhi. " We will not let two fishermen scare us away from our me." All the others in the pond agreed with them.

"Well! I know only one trick," said Ekkabuddhi. "To leave the place before danger strikes." Ekkabuddhi and his wife left the pond in search of a safer place. All the fishes, crabs and frogs laughed at them as they left.

The next day the fishermen returned to the pond and cast their net. "Ouch! This net is too thick for me to bite through," cried Sahasrabuddhi.

"For me too," cried Shatabuddhi. "Only if I could get out, I could do something.

"We should have listened to Ekkabuddhi," cried a fish. "Now we are all doomed."

The fishermen caught them all and put all the fishes, frogs and crabs into a big basket and took them away.

Ekkabuddhi, hiding behind a boulder with his wife turned to her and said, "If I had not acted in time, we would also be in that basket with the others."