A stag was standing at the edge of a pool and looking at his own reflection in the glassy water. He thought, “How beautiful my antlers look! No other animal has such beautiful antlers. But I feel sorry for my legs. They are so thin and weak.” Just then he heard a tiger roaring at a short distance from him.
The stag started darting away. He saw the tiger chasing him. He ran faster and outdistanced the tiger. There was a thick jungle farther ahead on the way. So he slowed down and ran cautiously. But, even then, his antlers got caught in the overhanging branches of a tree. He struggled hard but could not free himself.
The stag thought, “I cursed my thin legs. But they helped me to get away from the tiger. I admired the beauty of my antlers. But they are going to be the cause of my death.” Just then the tiger sprang upon him and killed him.
MORAL: LOOKS ARE OFTEN DECEPTIVE.