The Fall Of Pride

By Staff

Thursday, May 7, 2009, 10:25

humility,priya devi r,short stories, Pride Parade

A beetle once came upon a lump of cow dung. It settled on it and found its way to amusement working on it. On liking the outcome, it invited its friends to join it to build a city in the dung. After having working laboriously for a few days, a wonderful city was created in the dung. Feeling proud of their wondrous achievement they decided the first beetle as their king and organised a grand parade through their newly created city.

While the proceedings of the procession was taking place, an elephant that happened to pass by lifted its foot to avoid stamping accidentally on the dung. The king beetle blinded by pride shouted out arrogantly to the elephant "Hey you! Don't you know to respect loyalty? Don't you realise that its rude to lift your leg over my majestic head? Seek apology at once or punishment awaits you!

The elephant immediately said "Your gracious majesty, I humbly crave your pardon". Saying so in a gesture to seek forgiveness knelt down on the lump of cow dung and crushed the king, the city and the subjects including their pride in one go in the a single act of obeisance.