In the bustling town of Hightown, there lived a boy named Ram. Ram was known for his sharp mind and quick wit, but he was often the target of bullying by a group of stronger kids at school. These bullies, led by a boy named Shyam, would taunt and tease Ram, making his school days a nightmare.
Despite the bullying, Ram understood that they were just jealous of his intelligence. He also knew that physical strength wasn’t his forte, but he believed that his intelligence could help him find a way to stand up to the bullies. But one day, after another round of taunts from Shyam and his gang, Ram returned home with tears in his eyes.
Ram’s grandmother asked him about his day at school, he cried “why am I like this, why don’t I have the strength to take out my bullies. Why have God made me so lean and weak.” His grandmother smiled and consoled him with a story from Panchatantra about small skinny fellow with big ears – Bunny the rabbit.
“In a remote, untamed forest, an imposing lion ruled with absolute power. His roars were so thunderous each morning that they shattered the tranquility of the wilderness, driving every creature into trembling submission. The lion’s insatiable hunger and tyrannical reign had left the animal kingdom in a state of perpetual dread, where survival meant evading the king’s savage appetite.
One fateful day, the forest denizens—monkeys, rabbits, squirrels, deer, and more—gathered in a hidden glade to address their torment. The animals, overwhelmed by their collective fear, resolved to confront the lion. With heavy hearts, they devised a desperate plan and ventured to the lion’s lair.
“Majestic King,” began an elder deer, bowing low. “We, your humble subjects, have come to seek a truce. Instead of hunting us down, we propose that each day one among us will come to your cave voluntarily, so you never grow weary, and we no longer live in constant terror.”
The lion, intrigued by this proposition, nodded his approval. Henceforth, each morning saw a trembling creature march into the lion’s cave to meet its fate. The forest grew quieter, but the haunting specter of sacrifice lingered.
One day, it was the turn of a clever little rabbit. Unlike others, she refused to surrender to despair. The rabbit spent hours devising a cunning scheme to outwit the lion. As dusk settled, she approached the lion’s cave, deliberately late.
The lion’s eyes blazed with fury at the rabbit’s delay. “How dare you be late? You are small and hardly a meal, yet you keep me waiting!” he roared.
The rabbit bowed and said, “Forgive me, O King. Since I was weak, I was accompanied with another healthier rabbits to be your meal. But on our way here, another lion intercepted us and ate other rabbits. He let me go as he felt I am unappetizing. He claimed to be the true king and insulted you grievously.”
The lion’s pride was ignited. “Another lion? Where is he? Show me this pretender so I may teach him a lesson.”
The rabbit led the lion to a deep well. “The usurper lurks within,” Bunny whispered.
Peering into the well, the lion saw his own reflection in the water. Mistaking it for the rival lion, he roared furiously. The echo magnified his roar, enraging him further. In a blind rage, the lion leapt into the well, only to meet a watery grave.
The little rabbit’s wit and courage had vanquished the tyrant. The forest, no longer under the shadow of fear, celebrated a new dawn of freedom and harmony. The animals honored the rabbit, who had shown them that intelligence and bravery could triumph over brute strength.”
Ram got the moral of the story and was determined, more than ever, to end the bullying. he had noticed that the bullies often hung out near the old oak tree in the schoolyard. He also knew that the tree had a hollow trunk. An idea come to his mind and he gave a wicked smile.
That evening, Ram gathered some supplies and set to work. He created a small device that could produce eerie sounds and placed it inside the hollow trunk of the oak tree.
The next day, as the bullies gathered near the tree, Ram discreetly activated the device. Strange, ghostly noises began emanating from the tree, causing the bullies to freeze in their tracks. Shyam and his gang, known for their bravado, were now visibly shaken.
“Did you hear that?” one of the bullies whispered, his voice trembling.
Shyam tried to maintain his composure, but the eerie sounds continued, growing louder and more unsettling. “It’s just the wind,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.
Ram, watching from a distance, couldn’t help but smile. He knew that the bullies’ fear would soon get the better of them. As the sounds reached a crescendo, the bullies could no longer contain their fear. They bolted from the tree, leaving their bravado behind.
The next day, rumors of the haunted oak tree spread like wildfire through the school. The bullies, now too scared to go near the tree, avoided the area altogether. Ram’s clever plan had worked, and he had managed to outsmart the bullies without resorting to physical confrontation.
Word of Ram’s ingenuity spread, and he gained the respect of his classmates. Even Shyam, humbled by the experience, approached Ram and apologized for his behavior. Ram accepted the apology, knowing that he had proven the power of cleverness over brute strength.
From that day on, Ram walked the halls of Hightown School with his head held high, knowing that his intelligence and wit had triumphed over the bullies. He had shown that true strength lies not in physical power, but in the ability to think creatively and outsmart those who seek to bring you down.
Life Lessons 