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हंसकाकीयोपाख्यान (haMsakAkIyopAkhyAna)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Haṃsakākīyopākhyāna(ṃ)]
(“the story of the crow and the swans”). § 606 (Karṇap.): There lived on the other side of the ocean a rich vaiśya with many children, kind to all creatures. A crow lived upon the refuse of the dishes set before these children. The crow, becoming arrogant, came to disregard all birds. Once, certain swans, having their abodes in the Mānasa lake, came to that side of the ocean. The crow challenged their leader, saying that he would display 101 different kinds of motion, doing every 100 yojanas in a separate kind of motion: rising up and swooping down, etc. One of the swans said that they knew but that one kind of motion that all birds know, at which the assembled crows laughed aloud. The swans in vain tried to dissuade the crow. They began to fly. Beholding the diverse kinds of flight of the crow, the crows loudly rejoiced, while the swans laughed in mockery. For a moment the swan, with that one kind of slow motion, seemed to yield to the crow. As the swan flew westwards to the ocean, the crow was anxious and became almost senseless at not seeing any islands or trees whereon to perch when tired. At last the swan asked: “What is this kind of flight that thou hast now adopted? thou touchest the waters with thy wings and beak repeatedly.” The crow suddenly fell down, and imploring the swan, prevailed upon him to take him on his back and carry him to the shore, and promised never to disregard others.