Once a crow and his wife built their nest atop a huge banyan tree beside a river. They were very happy there. But when the female crow laid her eggs, they were in for an unpleasant shock. A huge snake who lived in a hole at the bottom of the tree came up and ate all their eggs.
The crows were helpless with anger and pain. "You can't let this wicked snake eat our children anymore," cried the female crow bitterly. "We must find a way to save them."
"Let us go to our friend the jackal. He is very clever and will surely help us," said the male crow.
They flew to the jackal's cave in the forest. Seeing them, the jackal asked, "Why do you look so sad? Can I help you?"
The crow explained, "Every time my wife lays eggs, a wicked snake living at the foot of our tree eats them. We want to get rid of him. Please tell us what to do."
The jackal thought for a moment. "I have a plan," he said, and shared it with the crows.
It was the queen's habit to bathe in the river with her maids. They would remove their clothes and jewels, placing them on the bank. The next day, as the queen and her maids entered the water, the crows put their plan into action.
"You know what to do?" asked the male crow. "Yes," his wife replied.
They flew over the pile of jewels. The female crow swiftly picked up a precious pearl necklace in her beak. At the same time, the male crow began to caw loudly to attract attention.
"Oh! Those crows have taken my necklace!" cried the queen. "Guards! Get it back!"
The guards chased the crows, who flew straight to the banyan tree with the guards close behind. Hearing the noise, the snake came out of its hole. Immediately, the female crow dropped the necklace right where the snake was.
"Look out! A huge snake!" alerted a guard.
Before the snake could react, the guards attacked and killed it with their spears. They then retrieved the necklace and returned it to the queen.
The crows thanked their clever friend, the jackal, for helping them. They lived happily ever after with their children.