The Camel and the Jackal is a Panchatantra story about betrayal and its consequences. An ancient Indian fable about what happens when you help someone who does not have your best interests at heart.
There was once a camel who lived near a river.
On the other side of the river was a large sugarcane field. The camel could see it from where he stood every day — green, full, unreachable. The river was too deep to cross alone.
One day a jackal came to him with a proposal.
"I know that sugarcane field," the jackal said. "I have friends on the other side. There are melons too — just past the field. I want to get there but I cannot swim. You can swim. Carry me across and we both eat well."
The camel agreed. The jackal climbed on his back. They crossed together.
On the other side the camel went to the sugarcane field and ate slowly and contentedly. The jackal found his melons and finished them quickly — they were small and there were not many.
While the camel was still eating the jackal began to howl.
Loud. Long. The kind of howl that carries across fields and reaches farmhouses.
"What are you doing?" the camel said. "The farmers will hear."
"I always howl after eating," the jackal said. "I cannot help it."
The farmers heard. They came running with sticks. They beat the camel hard and chased him from the field.
The jackal had already hidden in the tall grass.
When the farmers left the camel stood bruised at the riverbank. The jackal came out of the grass looking unbothered.
"Time to go back?" the jackal said cheerfully. He climbed on the camel's back.
They entered the river.
When they reached the deepest part the camel stopped.
"What are you doing?" the jackal asked.
"I always roll in deep water after a meal," the camel said. "I cannot help it."
Before the jackal could say anything the camel rolled.
The jackal went under. He came up spluttering and swam to the bank on his own — barely.
The camel crossed the rest of the way calmly.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
The jackal forgot this. The camel did not.
