Once, in an era lost to the whispers of time, in the heart of a dense and mysterious jungle, lived the cock and the hen. They were no ordinary fowl; their plumage gleamed with the hues of the deepest sunset, and atop their heads, they bore majestic combs that were said to be ablaze with an otherworldly fire.
These fabled creatures, rulers of the jungle, commanded respect and fear from all other animals. Tales of their fiery combs spread far and wide, causing creatures to tremble at the mere mention of their names. The cock and the hen reveled in their dominance, exploiting the myth to maintain control over the jungle’s inhabitants.
Yet, hidden behind the facade of their fiery combs, the cock and hen lived a life of complacency. Unbeknownst to the other animals, they knew nothing of village life, for the jungle was their realm, and the only flames they encountered were those flickering in the heart of the wild.
One day, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the jungle fell into the embrace of shadows, the old mother leopard returned to her lair. To her dismay, the fire in her kitchen had waned to a feeble glow. Turning to her young cub, she issued a command, “Run to the cock’s house and ask him to share a few glowing embers to rekindle our fire.”
Obediently, the leopard cub ventured into the night, stealthily approaching the abode of the cock and the hen. To his surprise, he found the regal fowl fast asleep, their combs casting an eerie glow in the moonlight. Fearful of waking the formidable rulers, the cub hesitated.
The mother leopard, determined to restore warmth to her lair, decided to accompany her cub. Together, they approached the slumbering fowl. In a hushed whisper, the mother leopard instructed her cub, “Take a bit of dry grass and gently ignite it from the cock’s comb.”
The cub, guided by his mother’s wisdom, attempted to kindle a flame using the famed fiery comb. But to their astonishment, the combs were cool to the touch, and the dry grass remained untouched by the elusive fire. It was then that the mother leopard realized the grand deception that had shrouded the jungle for so long.
She couldn’t contain her amusement and erupted into laughter, awakening the cock and hen from their slumber. With a sly smile, she declared, “Your combs are devoid of fire, and your reign of deception is over. The jungle shall know the truth!”
Realizing that their deceit had been exposed, the cock and hen hastily gathered their belongings. Fearing the ridicule and scorn of the jungle inhabitants, they fled from the only home they had ever known.
Embarking on a journey into the unknown, the once-mighty rulers ventured beyond the jungle’s edge. They stumbled upon a village, a realm vastly unfamiliar to them. Intrigued by the village life, they decided to make it their new abode.
However, the jungle’s legacy lingered, and even in the village, the cock and hen faced challenges. The leopards, not forgetting the past deception, lurked in the shadows. Nights were fraught with danger, and the fowl found solace in the safety of the village coop.
And so, the cock and hen adapted to their new life, forever haunted by the memory of their jungle days. The tale of their deception spread far and wide, becoming a cautionary fable whispered around jungle campfires and village hearths alike, a reminder that even the mightiest can fall when built upon a foundation of lies.
