The forest was home to many predators. Among them was Chandru, the wolf. A wild and wicked creature, the wolf would devour any small animal which came across its path.
Sheetal was also scared of the wolf, particularly since she had her kids. She had found a small cave at the foot of a hill. She made a cosy and warm house inside for her family.
Every day, when she left in the morning to graze in the forest, here heart skipped a beat as she thought of her children. She warned them about the dangerous wolf. The little ones were too young to understand the full meaning of what she said. But they sensed that there was danger outside. “Never open the door, children, to anyone when I am away”, she told them. “Yes, Mamma”, the young ones nodded. They looked so sweet and innocent. The mother sadly bid good bye and went away into the forest.
A couple of hours later, there was loud knock on the door. The youngest of the lot went to open the door. But the eldest kid, Sonu sensed something amiss. She went and pulled the young kid back. “That is not our mamma”, she said,” she would not be home so soon”. After a short silence, there was a knock in the door. “I am your mamma, darlings. Open the door”, said a voice. But the voice was rough and hoarse very much unlike the soft and sweet of their mother.
“You are not our mother”, the young kids said,” she does not have such a rough voice”. The wolf was angry that his ruse had been discovered. Frantically, he banged the door. The kids feared that the door would give way any minute. But the door was a strong one.
Frustrated, the wolf walked back and forth in front of the cave. Sheetal had made a chimney to allow the smoke to escape from the kitchen when she was cooking. It was a small opening. As he was pacing in front, the wolf saw it.He tried to jump but could not reach it. Finally, he hit upon an idea. He dug up mud near the cave and piled it up into a mound. Standing on the mound, he jumped on to the opening. As he was trying to squeeze in, the tin pipe which was connected to the chimney gave a rattling noise. The kids were frightened. The wolf had returned. They did not know what to do.
Sonu had an idea. Entering the kitchen, she lit the stove and threw in some coals. Soon, the hot embers were glowing. She placed them below the opening into the chimney.
The wolf, meanwhile, was squeezing itself into the narrow pipe. Sonu, reassured her siblings. She put the next part of the plan to action. Now that the wolf was inside the chimney pipe, she went and opened the door. As he emerged out of the pipe, the wolf fell right on the smouldering coals. The hot coals singed his fur and burnt him. He yelped in great pain. But he could not get out. The little kids ran out of the cave. Sonu quickly shut the door, locking the wolf inside. She took his siblings and hid inside a bush near the cave. When Sheetal returned in the evening, the kids narrated what had happened. Sheetal was shocked. She was full of praise for Sonu.
Now that the wolf was inside, Sheetal went around to her friends, the other goats in the forest. She saw an opportunity to settle this once and for all. The other goats too had suffered at the hands of the wolf. The wolf had eaten many of their kids. They came in a large herd to the cave. The wolf had managed to get out of the fire. He was in the living room.
Sheetal now opened the door. At her signal, all the goats rushed inside. The wolf did not know what was going on. The angry goats fell upon the wolf and pierced him with their sharp horns. Attacked by so many, the wolf did not stand a chance. He bled to death at that very place.
That was the end of the wicked wolf. Sheetal lived with her kids in peace. The kids grew up into fine and beautiful goats.
Children, this story tell us to be careful and follow the instructions our parents give us for our safety. It also teaches us the importance of being calm and taking quick decisions in the face of danger.