In a peaceful village nestled near the mountains lived a hardworking farmer named Somu. Somu was known for his strength and his beautiful flock of sheep. One bright morning, he decided to take his favorite little white lamb to the town market to sell it.
As Somu walked along the winding forest path, three cunning thieves watched him from behind the thick bushes. They eyed the lamb greedily. However, they noticed that Somu was a strong and sturdy man. "If we try to fight him, he might overpower us," whispered the leader of the thieves. "We must use his mind against him instead."
They devised a plan. The first thief ran towards Somu, his eyes wide with fake terror. "Watch out!" he screamed. "You are carrying a ferocious wolf on your shoulders! It will bite you any second!" Before Somu could even respond, the thief vanished into the woods.
Somu was confused. "A wolf? This is clearly a gentle lamb," he thought, trying to shake off the oddity. But as he continued walking, the second thief appeared. "Oh no!" the man cried out. "Why are you carrying a wild fox on your back? Run before it attacks you!" and he bolted away in fear.
Now, Somu began to feel uneasy. He looked at the lamb, which seemed perfectly normal, but the strangers' reactions were so intense. "Is my vision failing? Or is there something strange about this animal?" he wondered nervously.
Suddenly, the third thief jumped out in front of him. "Great heavens!" he yelled. "You are carrying a baby tiger! It will tear you apart!" He screamed and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
Overwhelmed by confusion and mounting fear, Somu's logic failed him. He thought, "If three different people saw three different monsters, perhaps the animal really is dangerous!" Terrified of being attacked, he dropped the lamb on the grass and sprinted back toward his village as fast as he could.
The thieves, who had been hiding all along, stepped out from the shadows. They laughed at how easily they had tricked the farmer and quickly made off with the precious lamb. Somu learned a hard lesson that day about trusting rumors over his own eyes.
Moral
Do not let the deceptive words of others cloud your own judgment and common sense.
