The Two Friends and the Bear Panchatantra
Once, two friends, Arjun and Bhaskar, were traveling through a dense forest. They promised to stand by each other no matter what dangers they faced.
As they ventured deeper into the woods, a large bear appeared on the path. The bear roared fiercely, causing the friends to tremble with fear.
Without thinking, Arjun quickly climbed a nearby tree, abandoning Bhaskar. Bhaskar, unable to climb, was left alone to face the bear. Desperate to save himself, Bhaskar remembered that bears do not attack dead creatures. He lay flat on the ground, held his breath, and pretended to be lifeless.
The bear approached Bhaskar, sniffed him from head to toe, and then left, believing him to be dead. Once the bear was gone, Arjun climbed down from the tree and asked, “What did the bear whisper in your ear?”
Bhaskar replied coldly, “The bear said, ‘A true friend would never abandon you in times of need.’”
Bhaskar then walked away, leaving Arjun to reflect on his selfishness.
Moral of the Story
- A true friend stands by you in difficult times.
- Selfishness can destroy relationships.
- Actions speak louder than words in proving loyalty.
Interactive Elements
- Quiz Questions:
- Why did Arjun climb the tree?
- How did Bhaskar save himself from the bear?
- What lesson did Bhaskar learn from the incident?
- Word Meanings (with Links):
- Tremble: To shake slightly out of fear or nervousness (Learn about overcoming fear).
- Desperate: Feeling a strong need to act quickly or urgently (Explore examples of desperation here).
- Abandon: To leave someone behind (Discover more about loyalty on Mystorybook.me).
- Moral Dilemmas:
- If you were Bhaskar, would you forgive Arjun? Why or why not?
- What would you do if faced with a similar situation?
- Opinion Prompt:
- “Do you think friendship should be unconditional? Share your opinion on Mystorybook.me.”
The Two Friends and the Bear Panchatantra
Related Stories and Links
- Learn more about true friendship: The Lion and the Bull.
- Explore tips on building stronger friendships at Verywell Mind.
- Read more moral tales on Mystorybook.me.
