STORY FROM PANCHATANTRA

A wise old owl

     A mighty tree, deep in the forest was home to a great many birds. The oldest resident was an owl. One day, the old owl noticed that two branches had grown very close to each other. So he alerted the others. 

     "Friends, those two branches over there are constantly rubbing against each other," said the owl.

     "So, what about it?" asked one bird.

     "In the dry weather, friction could cause a spark that could set the tree on fire. My advice to those of you who are building nests, is to shift to a safer location!" said the owl.

      "Age has made you timid, Sir!" said a woodpecker. "We woodpeckers know everything about building nests and I assure you that the tree is safe."

     Only a few birds decided to leave the tree and build nests elsewhere. The majority decided to stay where they were.

     "This tree is as old as the hills! Fire has never occurred here," said one of the birds.

     "That's true," replied another bird. "We would be fools to leave such a safe place. I think owl is an alarmist!"

     And then one hot summer afternoon, the tree caught fire just as the old owl had predicted. A spark caused by the branches rubbing together led to a fire that engulfed the whole tree destroying every living thing on it.

Moral of the story: Listen to the voice of experience.