Indian Fairy Tales · Chapter
The Pigeon and the Crow explained
The Bodhisatta, reborn as a pigeon, lives in a kitchen basket hung by a cook.
What happens
The Bodhisatta, reborn as a pigeon, lives in a kitchen basket hung by a cook. A greedy crow befriends the pigeon to gain access to the kitchen's food. The crow feigns illness to avoid foraging and instead steals fish from a prepared dish. The cook catches the crow, plucks its head feathers, and rubs it with spices as punishment. The pigeon mocks the crow with verses and leaves, predicting further trouble. The crow eventually dies from its injuries.
Themes in this chapter
Greed and Its Consequences
The crow's greed leads him to steal fish, resulting in severe punishment and eventual death.
Cunning and Wisdom
The pigeon demonstrates wisdom by seeing through the crow's deception and offering sound advice, while the crow's cunning backfires.
Characters to notice
- The Pigeon
The Bodhisatta in this life, a wise pigeon who lives in the kitchen and warns the crow against greed.
- Mr. Crow
A greedy crow who befriends the pigeon to steal food, is caught and punished by the cook, and dies.
Key passages
“Who is this tufted crane I see Lying where he's no right to be? Come out! my friend, the crow is near, And he may do you harm, I fear!”
The pigeon mockingly asks who the strange tufted bird is lying in the basket, warning that a crow might harm it.
The pigeon uses irony, knowing the 'tufted crane' is actually the punished crow.
“No tufted crane am I—no, no! I'm nothing but a greedy crow. I would not do as I was told, So now I'm plucked, as you behold.”
The crow admits he is not a crane but a greedy crow who ignored advice and is now plucked as punishment.
The crow confesses his identity and the reason for his plight.
“You'll come to grief again, I know— It is your nature to do so; If people make a dish of meat, ’Tis not for little birds to eat.”
The pigeon predicts the crow will suffer again because of his greedy nature, reminding him that meat dishes are not meant for small birds.
The pigeon's final warning underscores the theme of inevitable consequences for greed.