Be smart and knowledgeable, not stupid and too naive

Have you ever heard or read the story about a Water Buffalo, a Crocodile and a Mouse Deer? I've read a book about it when I was a child, and recently I came to read it again as I was browsing the internet for children stories. The story is quite interesting and has deeper meanings than just a story to amuse children. I didn't realize it's meanings when I read it when I was a kid, but today I've interpret many of it's hidden messages. The story goes like this.

Courtesy of CANVA

The water buffalo, the crocodile and the mouse deer

The water buffalo were having a drink at a river, suddenly he heard a desperate cry for help. He looked around and saw crocodile struggling to get a large dead tree branch off it's back. The tree branch broke and fell when the crocodile was basking by the river bank. Being a kind animal, the water buffalo rushed to the crocodile's aide and lifted up the tree branch off the crocodile's back. Without saying thank you, the crocodile suddenly grabbed the water buffalo's leg by using its mouth, he intended to kill the water buffalo and became his meal. The water buffalo begged that the crocodile spared his life because he has just helped him. The buffalo queried the crocodile's behavior for not being thankful after he was being saved. The crocodile replied by saying that there is no such rule that says "kindness must be paid with kindness".

While they were still arguing, a mouse deer then passed by. The mouse deer have seen the entire incident earlier and would like to be the judge of the argument between the water buffalo and the crocodile. He wanted to save the water buffalo, so his cunning mind made a very clever plan. The mouse deer asked them to re-enact the incident, he has to see the whole incident before he can pass his judgment. The crocodile agreed, he released the water buffalo's leg and then the water buffalo lifted up the tree branch and put it on the crocodile's back. The water buffalo just stood there waiting for the mouse deer's judgment, which angers the mouse deer. "Are you so stupid, what are you waiting for? Run for your life stupid water buffalo", said the mouse deer, then both of them ran away leaving the stupid crocodile struggling under the weight of the dead tree branch.

The moral of the story No. 1

Being an idiot or stupid is a huge handicap for a person who behaves like the water buffalo and the crocodile, they will always be taken advantage by clever and cunning people. So, it always pays to be smart or smarter than others, be more knowledgeable and pay more attention to a current situation before planning out your move.

The moral of the story No. 2

Rules are meant to be broken and there are many bad people out there who will take advantage of someone's naivety. Even when you are kind to others, it doesn't necessarily mean that they will pay back your kindness. People with bad intentions will always try to take advantage of you and might even harm you. When helping others, be always prepared and always expect the unexpected, don't always be a good samaritan or it might backfire your kind intentions next time.

The moral of the story No. 3

Being smart or cunning is a natural gift from our creator, it is a talent that allows a person to learn or solve something even faster than any normal person would do. But knowledge is something that we can teach and reap ourselves, and being more knowledgeable can make you even smarter than the people who are born smart but without any proper knowledge.