चिड़िया और चुहिया की दोस्ती

Summary

A bird and a mouse became friends. The bird suggested they go on a picnic. They walked, but the bird proposed taking a shortcut through a narrow path. The path was blocked by a pile of cow dung. The bird proposed a jumping contest to cross it. The bird flew over easily, but the mouse jumped and got stuck in the wet dung. The bird returned, grabbed the mouse's tail with its beak, and pulled it out. The bird said the mouse would have died without its help. The mouse replied it was not dying, but was inside preparing for its sister's wedding, applying henna. They continued walking and came to a thorny fence. The bird again proposed a jumping contest. The mouse jumped and got badly stuck in the thorns, becoming bloodied. The bird pulled it out by the tail and removed the thorns. The bird said the mouse would have died. The mouse replied it was not dying, but had gone inside to get its ears and nose pierced for its brother's wedding. They reached a pond. The bird flew over, but the mouse could not cross. The bird again carried it across by the tail. The bird said the mouse would have died. The mouse replied it was going for a Ganga bath because its grandmother had died. Finally, they reached a railway line. The bird warned a train was coming. The mouse's tail got caught in the wire. The bird rescued it just in time. The mouse said it was tired and was going to press its limbs under the train. The bird realized the mouse never accepted its help, always making excuses. The story concludes that one should choose friends who are loyal and helpful in times of trouble, not like the ungrateful mouse.