Section 1
In the distant past, there resided a king who was renowned for his intelligence throughout the entire region. He had complete knowledge of everything, and it appeared as though information about even the most confidential matters was conveyed to him by some sort of mystical means. However, he possessed an unusual habit - every day, following the conclusion of the meal and after the table had been cleared and all others had departed, a loyal servant was required to bring him an additional dish. The dish was always concealed, and even the servant was unaware of its contents. No one else knew what was inside either, as the king never removed the cover and consumed it only when he was completely alone.
This practice had continued for an extended period until one day, the servant who was responsible for removing the dish was overwhelmed by his curiosity and he could not resist taking the dish into his own quarters. After cautiously locking the door, he lifted the cover and discovered a white serpent resting on the dish. Despite seeing the serpent, he was unable to resist the temptation of sampling it, as a result, he sliced off a small piece and placed it into his mouth. As soon as the piece touched his tongue, he heard an unusual whispering of small voices outside his window. He went to investigate and realized that the chattering was being done by the sparrows, they were conversing with one another, exchanging information about various events they had witnessed in the fields and woods. Eating the serpent had granted him the ability to comprehend and understand the language of animals.
On this particular day, the queen's most exquisite ring went missing, and there were doubts that the loyal servant, who had unrestricted access, might have taken it. The monarch commanded for the man to be presented before him and warned him with furious language that if he couldn't identify the thief by the next day, he would be deemed responsible and put to death. Despite his protests of being innocent, he was sent away without any satisfactory response.
Feeling distressed and anxious, he descended to the courtyard and contemplated how he could extricate himself from his predicament. At that moment, a group of ducks were gathered by a stream, calmly resting and preening their feathers with their beaks, while engaging in a private discussion. The servant stood nearby and listened attentively. They were sharing with each other the locations they had been walking around that morning and the delicious food they had discovered, and one of them expressed in a sorrowful tone: 'Something lies heavy on my stomach; as I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the queen's window.' Without delay, the servant grabbed the duck by its neck and took it to the kitchen, where he asked the cook to kill the duck, to which the cook replied, "Sure, she's a good-looking one, and she's put in a lot of effort to fatten herself up; she has waited long enough to be cooked," and after weighing it, the cook beheaded the duck, and during the process of preparing it for roasting, the queen's ring was found inside the duck.
With the discovery of the queen's ring inside the duck, the servant was able to demonstrate his innocence without difficulty, and as compensation for the injustice done to him, the king offered him the opportunity to request a favor and pledged to grant him the best position in the court that he could desire. The servant declined all offers except for a horse and some money to travel with, expressing his desire to explore and wander the world. After his request was fulfilled, the servant began his journey and eventually arrived at a pond where he noticed three fish entangled in the reeds, struggling for air. Despite the belief that fish are unable to communicate, the servant overheard them expressing their distress over their impending death, prompting him to dismount his horse and release the three trapped fish back into the water. We will remember you and repay you for saving us" We will remember you and repay you for saving us!'
As he continued his journey, he eventually perceived a sound emanating from the sand beneath his feet. Upon closer attention, he discerned the voice of an ant-king expressing dissatisfaction: , "Why is it that people and their uncoordinated animals can't avoid stepping on us?" "My people are being mercilessly trampled by that stupid horse with its heavy hoofs," lamented the ant-king. As a result, he veered onto a side path, and the ant-king called out to him, saying, "We will not forget your kindness - a favor deserves another in return!"
The path directed him into a forest, where he noticed two elderly ravens perched beside their nest, tossing their offspring out. "You useless and unproductive beings, leave our nest! We can no longer feed you; you are fully grown and capable of fending for yourselves."
