A COLONY OF CROWS DWELT IN A GREAT BANYAN TREE IN A FOREST. THE NAME OF THEIR KING WAS CLOUDY.THE CROWS WERE CONSTANTLY HARASSED BY THEIR POWERFUL ENEMIES, THE OWLS. THEIR KING, FOE-CRUSHER, WOULD ATTACK ANY CROW HE CAME ACROSS.THEN ONE DAY, CLOUDY CALLED A MEETING OF HIS FIVE COUNSELORS.THE OWLS ARE BECOMING A MENACE.THEY ARE ARROGANT AND POWERFUL AND THEY ATTACK US AT NIGHT WHEN WE CANNOT SEE. WE CANNOT COUNTER ATTACK DURING THE DAY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY DWELL.ADVISE ME COUNSELORS. WHAT SHOULD WE DO ? LET US SUE FOR PEACE. IT IS ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO MAKE PEACE WITH POWERFUL FOES. I DON'T AGREE.ONE SHOULD NEVER MAKE PEACE WITH WICKED CREATURES. LET US DECLARE WAR ON THE RASCALS! THE ENEMY IS VICIOUS AND POWERFUL. I ADVISE NEITHER PEACE NOR WAR, BUT A CHANGE OF RESIDENCE.LET US GO AWAY FROM HERE. GO AWAY WHERE ? A CROCODILE IF HE STAYS AT HOME CAN DEFEAT AN ELEPHANT.BUT IF HE LEAVES HIS SWAMP, EVEN A DOG CAN MAKE HIM RUN. I SAY, LET US STAY HERE AND FORTIFY OUR POSITIONS! IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, WE SHOULD FORM ALLIANCES WITH OTHER FRIENDLY BIRDS.THEN CLOUDY TURNED TO A VERY OLD CROW NAMED LIVE-STRONG.AND WHAT DO YOU ADVISE, REVERED SIR? I ADVISE DUPLICITY, MY LORD.ATTACK ME AT ONCE WITH A GREAT SHOW OF ANGER.ATTACK YOU? MY WISEST MINISTER?YES. WE MUST PUT UP THIS SHOW FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR K FRIEND OVER THERE.LET HIM THINK WE'VE FALLEN OUT. THROW ME OUT OF THE TREE. THEN, WITH ALL YOUR SUBJECTS......FLY TO ANTELOPE MOUNTAIN.AND WHAT WILL YOU DO? I WILL BEFRIEND THE OWLS AND WIN THEIR TRUST. AND THEN I'LL FIND A WAY TO BRING ABOUT THEIR DOOM.NOW DO AS I SAY, YOU COWARD!HOW DARE HE SPEAK LIKE THAT TO OUR KING! I'LL WRING HIS NECK FOR HIM.LEAVE HIM TO ME.SO YOU HAVE TURNED TRAITOR! WE DON'T WANT ANY TRAITORS HERE!AH, THEY ARE FIGHTING AMONGST THEMSELVES.TO ME.GET OUT!-AND STAY OUT THE OWL LOST NO TIME IN REPORTING WHAT HE HAD HEARD AND SEEN TO HIS MASTER, KING FOE-CRUSHER.YOUR MAJESTY, THE CROWS ARE FIGHTING AMONGST THEMSELVES.THEY HAVE THROWN OUT ONE OF THEIR MINISTERS.THEN THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO ATTACK THEM. A ENEMY IS EASILY DEFEATED.FOLLOW ME, MY FRIENDS.THE COWARDS HAVE FLED!THE TREE.BUT THEY SOON
THAT THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE CROW IN OLD LIVE-STRONG WHO HAD BEEN WATCHING THE PROCEEDINGS FROM THE GROUND WAS PLEASED WITH THE WAY THINGS WERE GOING.THE FIRST PART OF MY PLAN HAS SUCCEEDED, NEXT COMES THE MOST DANGEROUS PART... BUT THERE'S NO TURNING BACK NOW. I AM NO ORDINARY CROW. I AM CLOUDY'S MINISTER. BE GOOD ENOUGH TO INFORM YOUR MASTER OF MY PRESENCE. I HAVE MUCH TO DISCUSS WITH HIM. I'LL FETCH HIM.THE OWL SOON RETURNED WITH FOE-CRUSHER, WHO WAS ASTONISHED TO SEE THE BATTERED CONDITION OF THE OLD CROW. HOW HAVE YOU COME TO SUCH A SORRY STATE, MY DEAR SIR?THIS IS THE WAY I HAVE BEEN REWARDED FOR GIVING GOOD ADVICE. YOUR MAJESTY MY MASTER, CLOUDY, BECAME FURIOUS WITH ME WHEN I URGED HIM TO PAY YOU TRIBUTE. HE ASSAULTED ME AND THREW ME OUT OF THE TREE. SHALL WORK FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL CROWS. NOW I THROW MYSELF AT YOUR MERCY. I WILL TALK IT OVER WITH MY ADVISERS.
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