The peacock looking down from the tree branch, was a little sad that yet another animal had called it beautiful, and yet had never seen itself as to how beautiful it looked. As it wondered if some day it would get to see itself, a fox walking down under the tree looked at the peacock and asked why it looked sad. The peacock told the fox its unfulfilled wish of seeing itself someday. The fox laughed and said this shouldn't be a problem, as one can see themselves if they stand in the river and look at the reflection of their image in the water.
The peacock said it did think about going to the river, however the river water is never still and two its afraid of crocodiles which might attack it when in the river. The fox said it could help the peacock in this problem and explained that it knew of a place in the river where the water is absolutely still and would also stand guard and watchout for any crocodiles nearby while the peacock was in the water.
Hearing the fox sound so optimistic, and the solution to its sadness so simple, the peacock fell for the fox's sweet words. The fox asked the peacock to wait for it untill noon the next day when it would take the peacock to the the river.
While the peacock was elated that its wish would come true tomorrow, the fox was equally happy that it would get an opportunity to fulfill its desire of tasting a peacock.
The fox wasting no time then headed to the river bed and waited for his friend and its partner in the act - the crocodile.
Unaware of the fox's cunning idea, the peacock hopped around with joy. The elephant which was on its way saw the peacock in high spirits, however became suspicious on knowing the reason for her happiness.
Why would the fox be intrested in helping the peacock? Wondered the elephant.
The next day at noon the peacock followed the fox to a place in the river which the fox promised her is the place where the river water was absolutely still and hence idle to see her reflection in the water.
While the peacock stood on the sands near the shore, the fox jumped from one large stone to another on the river, cautiously, not wanting to disturb the still water and finally standing on a rock almost near the middle of the river, surveyed for any disturbance in the water which could give signs of crocodiles or other predators nearby. Expert that it was in acting, the fox signalled to the peacock about the safety of the place and asked it to follow its steps, while the crocodile hiding under the water was waiting for the right time to attack the peacock.
Confiding the fox for its safety, the peacock was about to take its first step towards the river, when it felt heavy footsteps coming from behind. It was the elephant and his friends. The four elephants rushed into the river, towards the fox where the crocodile was hiding under-water.
Surprised at the advancement of the elephants towards it, the crocodile frantically swam to avoid being stampeded by the herd of elephants and in the process became visible on the surface of the river. The sight of the crocodile fleeing shocked the peacock. The fox too escaped by swimming as fast and far away from the approaching elephants.
Returning to the shore, the elephants were thanked by the peacock for saving its life, however the peacock wondered how it knew about the fox's plan. The elephant explained that it was completely by chance that it saw the fox and the crocodile meeting near the river, which looked innocent, untill the peacock spoke about its rendezvous with the fox for the next day.
The elephants then stood guard and as the water stilled the peacock walked over the stones on the river and saw its image in the still waters of the river cauvery and was delighted having fulfilled its long wish.
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