Have you heard this folk tale from Bihar about a leaf and a lump? Once upon a time, in a quiet field of Bihar, lived a small lump of earth and a big, round leaf from a Pipal tree. The two were the best of friends. They played together, rested under the sun, and shared their thoughts as the breeze passed by. Wherever you saw one, the other was sure to be close by.
It was their friendship that was so strong that it created jealously among others. Among them were the rain and the storm, who decided to break this bond. “We will show them that no friendship can last forever,” they conspired. The rain wanted to dissolve the lump, while the storm aimed to carry the leaf far, far away.
But the lump and the leaf had sensed trouble coming. They whispered plans late into the night, thinking of how they could save each other. After that, the next day, the sky went dark, and it started to rain quite heavily. The lump shivered and cried out, “Dear friend, I am afraid. The rain is strong—I may dissolve and disappear into the mud!”
But the leaf quickly jumped and sat on top of the lump, covering him from the rain. “Don’t worry,” said the leaf gently, “I will not let you be harmed as long as I am here.” And true enough, the rain passed, and the lump was safe.
It was just a while ago that they left a sigh of relief that they heard a very loud rumble in the sky. The storm had arrived. With wild winds, it tried to lift the leaf and blow it far away. The leaf cried, “Help me, dear lump! I am losing my grip!”
With great effort, the lump held tight and said, “I won’t let you go, no matter what! We’re in this together.” He dug a little deeper and made room for the leaf to sit safely. Eventually, the storm passed too.
When the sky cleared, the leaf and the lump smiled at each other, tired but happy. Their friendship, strong and selfless, had helped them survive both the rain and the storm. From that day on, they lived peacefully, closer than ever.
Moral of the Story:
True friendship is about standing by each other in times of trouble. Friends who support and protect one another can weather any storm.
Read more folk tales from India HERE
