In a forest, there stood an old Banyan tree. Many birds and animals lived on the tree. A partridge and a monkey also lived on it. An elephant lived under the tree. The three of them did not get along well with each. They were always seen quarreling and arguing. Yet, they could not live without each other.
One day, the Partridge came out with an idea. She said, “If we make one of us the leader and listen to him, we will never quarrel. Then we can live peacefully.” The monkey and the elephant agreed with the Partridge and decided to make one of them their leader.
However, it was not an easy job to choose the leader. They decided that the oldest of the three should become their leader. To find out the oldest among themselves, they decided to recollect their memories regarding the Banyan tree. Each of them tried to recollect how big the tree was when he came there. All of them thought hard to recollect how big the tree was when they came to the tree.
The elephant remembered that when he came to stay under the tree, the tree was very small. It used to tickle his stomach when he stood over it. This used to be his favorite leisure. The monkey remembered that when he came to the tree, it was a small sapling. He used to play with the sapling.
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The partridge was very wise. She said, “My mother and I flew to this part of the forest and sowed the Banyan seed. I have known it ever since the seed geminated and the sapling grew out of it.”
The elephant and the monkey said, “That means you are the oldest of us all. You have been to this part of the forest even before the tree came into being. Therefore, you shall be our leader.” The partridge, thus, became the leader of the three. She solved all their problems wisely. The elephant and the monkey always accepted her decision and followed her advice. The three became good friends and never quarreled or argued with each other.