Once upon a time in a dense, lively forest lived two parrots, Gauri and Chandra. Gauri was intelligent, wise, and humble, while Chandra was cunning, greedy, and arrogant. One day, a golden cage fell from the sky, sparkling and shimmering. Both the parrots went closer to examine it. Chandra, fascinated by the shimmering golden cage, said, "Look at this! It's a palace made of gold! I have never seen anything more beautiful!" Gauri observed it and replied, "Yes, it indeed is beautiful, but remember Chandra, it's still a cage. Freedom is our true treasure." Ignoring Gauri's words, Chandra flew into the golden cage, saying, "I want to live like a king. Isn't it amazing? I have the most beautiful home now." Gauri said, "But what about your freedom, Chandra? No luxury is worth the loss of freedom." However, Chandra dismissed Gauri's wise words and stayed in the golden cage. One day, a merchant passed by and saw the beautiful golden cage with Chandra in it. He thought, "What a marvelous cage! And it already has a parrot. I can sell it for a handsome price in the city." The merchant picked up the golden cage with Chandra inside and took it with him. Chandra realized his mistake but was unable to do anything about it. He was trapped in the cage, bound for a life of captivity, while Gauri remained free in their forest home. And so, the parrot Chandra lived the rest of his life in a golden cage, while Gauri remained free and happy in the forest. The moral of this Panchatantra inspired story is: "True freedom is the greatest luxury and cannot be traded for any material possession."
