There are three friends Laghupatanaka (the crow), Hiranyaka (the rat), Mandharaka(the turtle). One day when they are chatting near the river, a deer named Chitranga has come. He is trying to escape from a hunter. Crow helped him to know that huter has gone now by making a high fly. Now with Chitranga, the deer, they became four friends, happily spending time in each other’s company.

One day, Chitranga had not come when the other three had gathered at the lakeside for their daily discourse. They thought, "Poor Chitranga has not come so far. Is it possible that a lion or a hunter has killed him? Or, is it possible that he has fallen into a pit?" Well-wishers naturally suspect the worst when their near and dear ones are not seen for a while. Then the crow fly high to know the truth. The crow did not fly too long before he saw Chitranga trapped in a hunter’s net near a small pond. Then he went back and tell his friends the whole story. Then the crow and mouse together flew to the spot where the deer lay helplessly in the hunter’s net. When the deer saw his friends rushing to his aid, he realised how necessary it was to collect good friends and how nobody could overcome troubles without the help of good friends.

As they were discussing their plan to escape, Laghupatanaka and Hiranyaka saw that the turtle also was coming. They worried at the foolish step of turtle. The hunter came when they were debating this point. The mouse did a fast job of biting off the strings of the net and the deer rushed into the thick forest. The mouse too disappeared into the nearest hole. But the poor turtle was slowly plodding its way to safety. But the hunter saw him and bound him to his bow and slung it across his shoulder and began going home.

Meanwhile, the deer and the crow came, disturbing the mouse’s reverie. Recovering, Hiranyaka said, "Let’s not brood over the past. Let us first look for a way to rescue the turtle." The crow said, "Listen, and do as I tell you. Chitranga will go to a small lake on the hunter’s way taking him home. He should pretend he is dead and I will sit on his head and pretend pecking his eyes. Seeing the motionless deer, the hunter will then rest the turtle on the ground and reach for the deer. Hiranyaka should at once reach the turtle and bite off the strings binding him to the bow."

"All right, we will do as you say," said the mouse and the deer. All of them did as decided and after making sure that they were far away from the hunter’s reach, the four friends gathered and celebrated their reunion.

Moral
One should not try to cheat friends. He who is faithful to his friends shall never taste defeat.