Once upon a time. There lived a hunter who used to hunt birds and sell them in the market for money. Whenever he was hungry he was eating the baked flesh of the birds. He was going Ad to forest with a net and bamboo stick in order to hunt birds.
One day he was unable to get any bird. He wandered here and there in the forest. No where he could get even a single bird. The hunter was very much tired. As he moved from forest to forest, it was late night. So he could not go back to his village. There was full darkness in the forest. The hunter decided to spend the night under the shade of a tree.
The hunter found out a place to sleep. But as he stood under a tree he started shivering. It started raining also. The hunter had no proper clothing. He was worried.
There were two doves living in the top of the tree. They were close to each other. Both of them saw the hunter.
Male dove said – “darling, see the plight of the hunter. He is dying of this chill weather suppose he spends the whole night in this rain he will die in the morning. But he is our enemy. He has no heart. He is not compassionate. Suppose he sees us, he will kill us. Whatever it may be he is our guest this night. We have to protect him. It is our duty.”
The female replied ” dear, what you said is correct. If he spends the whole night under the tree no doubt he will die. If he dies, we will become sinners. Therefore let us warm him up Do something.”
While they were talking the rain fall was little less. The hunter leaned his back to the tree.
The female said; “dear, shall we throw down our nest ? Because we don’t have dry sticks to burn. Let the hunter burn the nest and warm himself.”
Both the doves agreed. They threw the nest.
The hunter was happy to see the nest. Quickly he opened a match box and lit the nest. There was fire. So the hunter was pleased to warm him. He had no food the whole day. He was hungry.
The doves saw the hunter and the kind enough to satisfy his hunger. The lady dove who had mother’s heart said, “darling, the hunter is our guest. Why should we not sacrifice ourselves and become his food?” thus said, the female dove fell into the fire. The hunter was glad to see the bird. He thanked god and baked the bird and ate the delicious meat. But it was not enough for him. He saw the top of the tree.
The male dove understood the hunter’s feelings. Immediately he fell down into the fire thinking that it would be better if the hunter is satisfied. As soon as it fell into the fire there was a huge sound in the sky. There was a shed of flowers.
The hunter was confused. There came a golden chariot. The demi god who came in the chariot converted the two doves into human form and took over them to the upper world in his chariot.
MORAL: Those who sacrifice themselves for the sake of others are great.