THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW
kutta aur usakee chhaaya ek baar ek kutte ne baajaar se haddee ka ek tukada chura liya. vah bahut khush hua. vah ek naale ke kinaare-kinaare ja raha tha aur pul par aa gaya. vah pul paar karana chaahata tha. pul par jaate samay usane dekha ki ek aur kutta munh mein haddee ka tukada dabaaye pul paar kar raha hai.
achaanak usake man mein ek vichaar aaya. usane khud se kaha, “agar” main haddee ka vah tukada chheen loon, to haddee ke donon tukade mere paas honge. lekin usane ek baar bhee apanee parachhaee ke baare mein nahin socha. usakee chhaaya paanee par jhalak rahee thee. use jaladhaara ke paarabhaasee (svachchh) jal mein apanee hee chhaaya ka pratibimb dikhaeevz
vaise bhee, usane socha ki doosara kutta bina der kie chala jaega, vah jaldee se doosare kutte ke paas bhaaga. is prakaar pralobhan mein aakar vah apane munh kee haddee ke tukade ke baare mein bhool gaya. jab usane haddee ke us nakalee tukade ko chheenane ke lie apana munh khola, to usake munh mein maujood haddee ka tukada paanee mein gir gaya.
vah paanee kee tej dhaara mein bah gaya. usane dekha ki doosare kutte kee haddee ka tukada bhee usakee tarah paanee mein gir gaya. tab use ehasaas hua ki yah usakee hee parachhaee thee.
usane man hee man kaha, “aphasos! mainne apanee haddee ka tukada kho diya hai. agar main kutte ke peechhe nahin bhaagata to aisa nahin hota. ab kuchh nahin kiya ja sakata, apanee hee haddee ka tukada khokar kutta niraash hokar chala gaya.”
