Resumo de Who Is Worst?

WHO IS WORST?

Once there lived a hare in a palm grove near a forest. One day he was sitting under a tree which bore huge fruits. At that time the hare was in deep thoughts. His grand mother, who died a few days ago, had told him, "when an earthquake occurs the earth trembles and shakes at first and then it breaks into pieces". The hare now thought, "what would I do if an eqrthquake should occur now?" As he was thus thinking a huge ripe fruit from the tree fell nearby, making a loud noise. The hare jumped up in great fright. He did not look around but started yelling, "Oh! what I feared has happened now. What will do? The earth will start breaking apart soon. I have to run away from here." So saying he ran towards the mountains.
Another hare saw him running fast, and curious to know the reason, asked the first hare, "What has happened? Why are you running so fast?" The first hurriedly replied, as it ran, "There was an eqrthquake a few munutes ago. My grandma has told me that the earth breaks into pieces after an earthquake. If I contiune to stay here, I will perish." Now the second hare got frightened too and blindly followed the first. As they went running, they met other hares who also believed the news blindly and followed the first hare. Before long hundreds were running one behind the other, all towards the mountains.
As the hares were running, they were seen and questioned by a deer, a buffalo, a rhinoceros, a tiger and an elephant at different points. When these animals heard the news about the danger, they too started running behind the hares. Soon each of their kith and kin and friends joined the fleeing animal band.
So very soon the number of the animals in flight gradually increased to thousands, all running towards the mountains in a terrified condition and in great hurry.
It so happened that a young lion was resting in a cave on the same track. When he heard the noise he came out of the cave and was astonished to find so many animals running in one great group. The lion stopped one of them and questioned him. "What has happened?" Why are you running towards the mountains?" "Sir, there was an earthquake, and the earth is breaking into pieces. So we are fleeing to escape death." The animal then continued to run. The lion, bounding up the track, stood in front and stopped the procession. The lord of the jungle was standing in the middle of their track. They had to obey their lord.
"What is the matter with you all?" the lion demanded. Again they all cried out together, "the earth is breaking up insto pieces." We are fleeing to a safer place.
"Who told you that the earth is breaking?" asked the lion.
The elephant said the tiger had told him, the tiger pointed his finger at the rhinoceros, the rhinoceros at the buffalo, the buffalo at the deer, the deer at the hare, and finally the first hare was brought before the lion. The lion questioned him sternly. "Who told you that the earth was breaking?"
"I heard it with my own ears, Your Highness. There was a terrific sound when the earthquake occured, after which I ran for my life from that place."
"Oh! I see. You yourself heard the earthquake. Where is that place?" inquired the lion.
"Master, it is far away. It is near the groves at the edge of this forest."
"Take me to that place immediately" said the lion with authority.
Then he put the hare on his back, and after giving an order that no animal should leave that place till he returned, he left that place in the direction of the groves. As they were about to reach the place, the hare jumped off the back of the lion, out of fear. Then pointing to the place under the tree, bearing huge fruits, he said, "Sir, it occured in that place, that is the place where I heard the sound."
The lion went to that place and looked around but he could see no sign of earthquake anywhere. He examined the place thoroughly but to no effefct. Then suddenly his eyes fell on the broken fruit lying on the ground. He looked up and foundhuge raw fruits on the tree. Now he knew what could have happened. Pointing to the fruit on the ground he said, "Here is the world that you feared was breaking to pieces." The hare was now blinking. No doubt he had realised his foolishness.
The lion then took both the hare and the fruit on its back and ran back to the waiting animals. He told them, "Do not be afraid any more. The hare heard the sound of the falling of his huge fruit to the ground, and without verifying what exactly had happened, he had concluded that the earth was breaking. It was his foolishness. But you too committed the same mistake." Then he sarcasticall added:
"One stupid animal started a rumour, all of you believed it. Ask yourselves now whether you, who believed the information blindly are the worst or the stupid hare, who started it first."

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