Third Story of Panchatantra 'Mitrabhed' "The Jackal and the War Drum" - The Story of a Hollow Voice.

Once upon a time, near a dense forest, a great battle took place between two kings. The war was fierce, and both sides fought with all their strength. In the end, one king emerged victorious, while the other was defeated. The defeated king returned to his city with his army, and the victorious king began celebrating his triumph.

After some time, the victorious king’s soldiers also returned to their city. However, one thing was left behind in that forest that is a large war drum.

This drum had been specially made for use during battle. The sound of the drum filled the soldiers with courage and enthusiasm. During the war, the royal singers and poets would beat this drum at night while reciting heroic tales, inspiring bravery in the soldiers’ hearts. Its sound was so loud and powerful that it could fill anyone, not just soldiers, with energy and excitement.

One day, after the war had ended, a strong storm swept through the forest. The big drum rolled and rolled until it came to rest beside a dry tree. Some of the tree’s dry branches leaned against the drum in such a way that whenever the wind blew, they struck its surface, producing a deep “Dham-Dham” sound that echoed throughout the forest.

In that same forest lived a clever jackal, known far and wide for his cunning and quick wit. One day, while wandering in search of food, he heard that strange sound coming from the drum. Startled, he thought, “What kind of sound is this? It must be coming from some huge and dangerous creature!”

Frightened, the jackal hide behind a bush and kept listening. Just then, a small squirrel jumped down from a tree and landed on the drum. The light thus produced a much softer sound. Seeing this, the jackal’s fear began to fade. He noticed that the squirrel sat comfortably on the drum, munching on a nut.

The jackal thought, “Oh! So it’s not a fierce creature. I don’t need to be afraid.” He decided to approach carefully, stepping forward one cautious step at a time. When he finally reached the drum, he examined it closely. He could find neither a head nor legs anywhere. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, the branches struck the drum again, and it made a loud “Dham-Dham” noise. The jackal jumped back in alarm. Then he thought,

“Ah, now I understand! This must be some kind of shell. The real creature is hiding inside. Judging by the loud sound, it must be fat and juicy. That’s why it makes such heavy noises.”
Overjoyed by his “discovery,” the jackal ran home and called out to his mate, “Oh, my dear! Get ready for a grand feast! I’ve found a fat, delicious animal hiding inside a shell!”

The she-jackal asked in surprise, “If you found it, why didn’t you kill it and bring it here?”
The jackal replied proudly, “Because I’m not foolish like you! The creature is hiding inside a hard shell, which has two sides covered with dry skin. If I put my paw through one side, it will escape through the other!”

When the moon rose, the jackal and his mate went together to the drum. As they approached, the wind blew again, and the branches struck the drum, making the same booming “Dham-Dham” sound.

The jackal whispered to his mate, “Do you hear that deep, strong voice? Imagine how big and fat the creature inside must be!” Both of them pushed the drum upright and sat beside it. Then, using their sharp teeth, they began tearing at the drum’s leather covering. As the edges started to rip, the jackal said,
“Be careful! The moment I open it, we’ll both reach inside together and grab the animal!”

When the leather tore open, both of them thrust their paws inside only to feel nothing but empty space. Their paws touched each other. Startled, they both cried out, “There’s nothing here!” Disappointed, they hit their foreheads in frustration. The jackal sighed, “What just happened? I thought there would be a huge, fat animal inside! But it’s completely empty!”

This incident taught the jackal an important lesson. He realized that many things look big and impressive from the outside but are hollow inside just like that drum. The jackal and his mate remembered this lesson and never again judged things by their appearance or sound.

Soon, this story spread among the other animals in the forest. Some laughed at the foolish jackals, while others said it was a good warning to be careful. The jackal shared his experience with everyone, saying, “We thought there was a mighty creature inside that drum, but it was empty. Never trust outward appearances.”

His words made all the animals think deeply. They understood that true worth lies not in how something looks or sounds, but in its real nature and deeds.

Moral of the Story
People who boast loudly are often hollow inside, just like the drum. This story teaches us to be cautious and to value a person’s actions and character rather than their outer show.