The sparrows and the elephant (strategy over strength)   Panchatantra, Book I

The story of the Sparrows and the Elephant is one of the most popular tales from the Panchatantra. It is found in the first book, Mitra-bheda (The loss of friends).A pair of sparrows lived happily in a nest built on a tamala tree. The female sparrow had laid her eggs and the arrival of new babies was eagerly anticipated. One afternoon, a wild elephant struck by the heat and his own arrogance began rampaging through the trees in the forest. Upon reaching the tamala tree with a powerful stroke of his trunk, he broke the branch which carried the sparrows' nest. The nest fell to the ground. While the adult sparrows managed to fly away, their eggs were crushed. The female sparrow began to cry inconsolably due to the loss of the unborn young ones. A woodpecker, who was her friend , comforted her by saying that wailing would not bring back the dead and it was essential that justice be served.

The woodpecker realizing that they couldn't fight the elephant alone, called upon his companions, namely, a gnat (fly) and a frog (the chief of frogs).The four small creatures gathered to devise a strategic plan to defeat the trouble making elephant.The gnat was to fly into the elephant's ear and hum a hypnotic melody.

This would make the elephant close his eyes in a trance-like state of mind. Once the elephant's eyes were shut, the woodpecker would peck out his eyes, turning him blind. With the passage of time, the elephant would become dehydrated due to heat. The frog would go to the edge of a deep, rocky pit (far from any water body) and begin to croak at a high volume. Hearing the croaking frog, the blind elephant would assume the presence of a pond nearby. Following the sound of the frog, he would tumble into the pit.

The plan was executed with absolute precision. As the gnat sang, the elephant closed his eyes, and the woodpecker struck. Visionless and crying in pain, the elephant wandered the forest for hours, searching for water to soothe his wounds. When he heard the frog's croaking, he rushed toward the sound, thinking he had reached a lake. Instead, he fell into the deep pit and died.The tiny sparrows had successfully gained victory over the mightiest beast in the jungle.

Moral of the Fable

Even the weak can overcome a powerful enemy if they work as a team using their intelligence. It emphasizes that unity is strength. Unity and team spirit is of utmost importance for a Viksit Bharat.