In a bustling kingdom, there lived a small but proud rat. Over the years, he had become quite used to people reacting with alarm and disgust whenever they caught sight of him. He took great pride in this unintended power, enjoying the way humans recoiled or hurriedly stepped aside at his presence. To him, this reaction was a sign of his importance.
One bright morning, as the rat
scurried through the marketplace, he noticed an enormous crowd gathered along
the main road. Curious, he wriggled his way through the throng of people to see
what had captured their attention. To his surprise, all eyes were fixed on a
grand elephant, its massive frame towering above the onlookers. The majestic
beast moved gracefully through the street, carrying the king himself upon its
decorated back. The crowd murmured in admiration, their faces filled with awe
and reverence.
The rat felt a sting of irritation. Why
is everyone so impressed with that elephant? he thought bitterly. After
all, it is just another animal—just like me! We both have four legs, two eyes,
and a nose. So what makes it so special?
Just as he was muttering to himself,
a sleek and observant cat, one of the king’s royal pets, happened to overhear
his words. With a sly smile, the cat turned to the rat and said, "Ah, but
you fail to see the difference, my little friend. While both of you may be
animals, the elephant possesses a greatness that you do not. Even I, a skilled
hunter, would not dare threaten such a mighty creature. Yet you, despite all
your pride, could be crushed beneath its feet without a second thought."
The rat’s whiskers twitched in embarrassment. He suddenly felt very small, not just in size but in significance. Without another word, he turned and scurried away, his once lofty self-importance deflated. He had learned a humbling lesson—that true greatness is not just about existence but about strength, presence, and the impact one has on the world.
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