The Sparrow and The Fruit

There was once a sparrow called Gubbi. One day, Gubbi went off to the market and bought herself a nice juicy guava. On the way back, the guava slipped from Gubbi's beak and fell into a clump of thorns. Gubbi couldn't bear the thought of losing her fruit. She decided she would get it back at any cost.

First she went to a boy working nearby. “Little boy, little boy, please get my guava back for me,” she begged. “Can't do it,” replied the boy. “Go away!”

Gubbi was furious. She went straight to the farmer. She said, “I dropped my fruit in a clump of thorns. I asked the boy to help me but he didn't. Now I want you to give him a good beating.” “Won't do it,” said the farmer. “Go away!”

Gubbi went straight to a cow that was grazing in the farmer's pasture. She said, “I dropped my fruit in a clump of thorns. I asked the boy to help me but he didn't. I asked the farmer to give the boy a beating but he didn't. Now I want you to go and eat up the farmer's crops.” “Can't do it,” said the cow, and turned her head away.

Gubbi flew straight to the fisherman. She said, “I dropped my fruit in a clump of thorns. The boy did not help me, the farmer did not help me, and the cow did not help me. Now I want you to whip the cow.” “Won't do it,” said the fisherman and cast his net again.

Gubbi went straight to the rat. She said, “I dropped my fruit in a clump of thorns. The boy did not help me, the farmer did not help me, the cow did not help me, and the fisherman did not help me. Now I want you to chew up the fisherman's net.” “Can't do it,” said the rat, and scurried away.

Gubbi flew straight to the cat. She said, “I dropped my fruit in a clump of thorns. The boy did not help me, the farmer did not help me, the cow did not help me, the fisherman did not help me, and the rat did not help me. Now I want you to catch the rat.” “Won't do it,” said the cat.

Gubbi did not know what to do. She wished someone would do as she said. Suddenly, she remembered her friend, the ant. Gubbi knew he could help her get her fruit back.

Gubbi flew straight to the ant's house. When she saw him, she asked simply, “Will you bite a cat for me?” “Sure!” said the ant. “Show me where she is!”

The ant kept his word and bit the cat. The cat went chasing after the rat and caught him. The rat quickly chewed up the fisherman's net. The fisherman whipped the cow. The cow ate up all the farmer's crops.

The farmer gave the boy a beating. The boy picked up the guava that had fallen into the clump of thorns and gave it back to Gubbi. Gubbi was thrilled. She thanked her friend the ant with all her heart.

Greedy Gubbi wanted to eat the guava immediately. She settled down on a branch for a feast. She had only had a small bite of it when something heavy fell on her head. A crow flying overhead with a big chunk of firewood in his beak had dropped it on Gubbi by accident. Gubbi fainted. And that is how naughty Gubbi was punished. And that is the end of the story.