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Somewhere on a seashore, there lived a pair of tittibha birds, they were husband and wife. In the course of time, the female became pregnant. As the time to lay her eggs came near, she said to her husband.
‘My dear, it’s almost time for me to lay my eggs. Look for some good safe place where I can lay them.’ ‘This coast is very nice. You can lay the eggs here replied the male.’
‘But’ she, said, ‘on nights when the moon is full, the Sea here sends it waves so high that they can drag off even a wild elephant. No, please find some better place, away from here.’
When the male heard this, he laughed and said, ‘What a thing to say! The Sea wouldn’t dare harm my children! Lay your eggs here and stop worrying!’
“Now, the sea heard this and thought to himself, ‘What king of impudence is this, from a bird, the size of a worm! For fun, I’ll take away his eggs and will see what he does.’
After some time The female laid her eggs there. One day shortly afterward, when the two birds had flown off in search of food, the waves of the Sea came higher and higher and swept all the eggs.
When the birds returned, the female went to her nest and found it empty.
She wept and said to her husband, ‘You fool! The waves of the Sea have swallowed my eggs. I asked you to find somewhere else for me to lay them, but you, wouldn’t listen to me! It is truly said that those who refuse to follow the advice of friends who wish them well have to suffer. Like the foolish turtle who fell off the stick.”
‘How was that?’ asked the male. His wife told him this story. THE TURTLE AND THE STICK