The Spear and the Hare
Deep in the Satyamangalam forest of Tamil Nadu which is known for its gian banyan trees of silent hills and bold army of elephants that cross each day, there lived two tribal hunters: Kannan and Gopi.
Kannan was a daredevil, forever daydreaming of bagging big game—elephants, wild boars, or leopards. Gopi, play-safe and calculating, was happy catching small game—hares, birds, and squirrels.
One monsoon morning, the tribe prepared for the seasonal hunt. The forest, soaked and steaming, breathed mystery. Kannan carried his old but mighty spear, its iron tip dulled by years of failed hunts. Gopi, meanwhile, brought his fine-tuned bow, polished and perfect, with an arrow tipped in deadly poison.
As they parted ways at the fork near the tamarind tree, Gopi smirked, “Let’s see who returns with a better story.”
Hours passed. Kannan ventured deep into the heart of the forest, where elephant trails crossed silent streams. There, he saw one—a mighty tusker bathing in a muddy pool. With steady breath and trembling hands, Kannan hurled his spear with all his strength. It grazed the elephant’s shoulder but bounced off harmlessly. The beast stormed away into the dense thicket. Kannan retrieved the bent spear and returned home exhausted—but glowing with a strange pride.
Gopi returned too—victorious in his eyes—with a single hare tied to his belt.
The villagers gathered. “What did you bring?” they asked Kannan. “Nothing but a missed elephant,” he replied with a smile.
Someone mocked, “And he calls that a hunt?”
But the village elder, an old wise man who had seen seasons of blood and rain, interrupted. “A man who dares to hunt an elephant carries the courage of ten. The one who settles for a hare every day will never dream beyond his size.”
That day, Kannan’s failed hunt became legend. The bent spear was hung in the tribal hall, not as a sign of defeat, but of daring.
Moral:
In the eyes of wisdom, failed bravery holds more honor than timid success.
Inspiration
Better carry the spear that missed an elephant than the arrow that killed a hare. - Thiruvalluvar
