THE PET MONGOOSE

A farmer lived with his wife and baby. He had a pet mongoose too.

One day his wife told him, "I have been invited to a function in the village and I have to go. Can you stay back to look after the baby?"

The farmer told his wife, "Yes, you go. I will stay at home and look after the baby.'

After his wife had gone, the farmer put the baby to sleep in his cot.

All of a sudden, he heard footsteps coming quickly towards his house.

Some soldiers came and said to the farmer, "The king has summoned all the farmers for a meeting in the village. You have to come at once."

"I can't come because my wife is not here to look after the baby" the farmer replied.

A soldier said, "This is the king's order, if you don't come, the king will surely punish you."

The farmer was left with no choice but to go with the soldiers. So he called his pet mongoose and said, "I have to go. You look after the baby."

The farmer's wife ran to see if the baby was well. Then she shouted to her husband, "Stop beating him. Come here."

The farmer went and saw the baby lying safely in his cot.

He also saw the dead snake lying near the cot, with blood all over the floor.

Then he understood that his loyal pet had saved the bay from the poisonous snake.

Then farmer thanked the mongoose for saving the baby and apologized for beating him.

He said, "Forgive me. I should not have hit you. You have proved to be truly loyal. I should have checked the facts before losing my temper."

His wife also thanked the mongoose for saving the baby and gave him a special treat.