A caravan crosses the desert at night but circles back when its guide falls asleep. With little water left, hope fades.
The leader notices grass and looks for water beneath it. The group digs, persists through rock and finds a spring.
Adapted from Ellen C. Babbitt, Jataka Tales (1912), chapter VI · Source text & illustration
Fables use imaginary events to invite reflection; interpretations vary.
Keep reading
The Quails and the Net
Cooperation needs care before a crisis arrives.