Long ago, in a dense forest filled with tall trees and hidden pathways, lived a jackal named Gomaya. Gomaya was clever by nature, but like most animals of the forest, his life depended on finding food each day. One afternoon, hunger gnawed at his stomach more fiercely than usual. He had searched every familiar corner of the forest, sniffed around bushes, and followed faint scents, but luck was not on his side.
Tired and weak, Gomaya decided to wander beyond his usual territory. He reasoned that unfamiliar lands might offer new opportunities. Slowly, step by step, he walked out of the forest and found himself on the edge of a vast open ground. It was silent, lifeless, and strangely unsettling.
This place was once a battlefield.
Only a few days earlier, two powerful armies had clashed here. Now, the warriors were gone, leaving behind broken weapons, torn flags, and scattered remains of supplies. The air felt heavy with memories of chaos and conflict. Gomaya hesitated, as jackals are naturally cautious creatures, but hunger pushed him forward.
As he moved deeper into the deserted battlefield, a sudden sound broke the silence.
Boom… thud… boom…
The sound was loud, hollow, and rhythmic. It echoed across the empty field, making Gomaya’s heart race. His ears stood upright, and fear rushed through his body. He froze, trying to locate the source of the noise.
“What is that terrifying sound?” he thought.
“Is there someone still here? A giant? A monster?”
The noise grew louder as the wind strengthened. Panic took over Gomaya’s mind. He imagined dangerous warriors returning or some unseen creature preparing to attack.
“If I do not run away immediately,” he thought, trembling,
“I may lose my life!”
Just as Gomaya turned around to flee, another thought crossed his mind. Despite his fear, Gomaya was not foolish. He paused and reflected.
“Running away without understanding the danger is not wisdom,” he told himself.
“What if this sound is harmless? Fear often grows when the mind imagines things.”
Gathering his courage, Gomaya decided to investigate carefully instead of blindly escaping. Keeping his body low to the ground, he moved forward slowly. Every step was cautious. His eyes scanned the surroundings, and his ears remained alert.
As he crept closer, he noticed a large drum lying near an old tree. The drum had been left behind by the army, forgotten after the battle. Its leather surface was stretched tightly, and long branches from the tree hung above it.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew strongly. The branches rubbed against the drum’s surface.
Boom… thud… boom…
At that moment, Gomaya understood everything.
The frightening sound was not a monster.
It was not an enemy.
It was merely the wind playing tricks on his fear.
Relief washed over him. Gomaya laughed at his earlier panic.
“How foolish I was!” he said to himself.
“My fear made something small seem dangerous.”
Now calm and confident, Gomaya continued to explore the area around the drum. To his surprise, he discovered something wonderful. Near the battlefield were leftovers from the armies—bits of food, spilled grains, water containers, and edible remains that no one had bothered to collect.
For a hungry jackal, it was a treasure.
Gomaya ate his fill and drank water until his strength returned. As the sun began to set, he rested peacefully near the drum, no longer afraid of its sound. Instead, he felt grateful—for had he run away without thinking, he would have missed the opportunity to satisfy his hunger.
As night fell, Gomaya reflected on the lesson he had learned that day.
“Fear often comes from ignorance,” he thought.
“Only by facing uncertainty with courage can one find truth and reward.”
With this wisdom in his heart, Gomaya returned to the forest the next morning, wiser and more confident than before.
Moral of the Story
Fear disappears when we face it with courage and understanding.
Those who are brave and thoughtful succeed, while those who act only on fear lose opportunities.