The Rescue!

Many years ago, there stood a peepal tree on the banks of the river Thenpennai. In a hole on the trunk of this age-old tree lived a pair of parrots. The she-bird laid three eggs and started incubating them with great expectations.

Then, the villain entered the scene: a cobra with greedy eyes like rubies. It took up residence in an anthill at the foot of the peepal tree.

The expectant mother and father became worried. "How are we going to live here under the very hood of this sinister cobra?" said the mother. "How can we protect our beloved, precious eggs? This evil thing is sure to notice our home, and once it discovers our eggs, our dream of having a nestful of chicks will be gone."

The father parrot thought and thought, and finally decided to seek help from the Queen Bee of the hive that hung from the tree's topmost branch. Those were the good old days when creatures treated one another with consideration and compassion.

The bees of the hive knew the parrots to be nice and gentle, which is why they agreed to convey the parrot-pair's request about the cobra to their queen. The Queen Bee felt sorry for the parrots and decided to help.

She sent a message that read: "Dear Parrots, I know of your plight. Stay vigilant and do not leave the eggs unguarded. In a day or two, we will see that the cobra is driven out."

The day after this assurance was given, the cobra came out of its hole and started climbing the tree, its stomach rumbling with hunger. The panicked parrots screeched for help. As soon as the Queen Bee heard the screams, she issued an order to the worker bees to attack.

A cloud of bees descended on the killer cobra. The serpent paid the ultimate price for trying to destroy the peaceful life of the parrot family; sting after sting turned the cobra into a lifeless string.

The parrots told the bees, "We two, and the chicks inside the eggs, will always be grateful to you all and to your beloved Queen."