In a small village, there lived a scrawny boy named Raju. He was so thin that bullies often made fun of him, gloating over their own strength. The path to his school was treacherous — it went through a dark forest where wild animals roamed. One day, as Raju was walking home, he saw a large eagle swoop down from the sky. The eagle was pouncing on a small rabbit. Raju stood there, dazed and frozen.

His conscience whispered, “Do not deviate from kindness.” Raju remembered the prologue of his grandmother’s stories: “Even the scrawny can be brave.” He picked up a stick and shouted at the eagle. The eagle, surprised, flew away. The rabbit was dazed but alive. Raju cupped the rabbit in his hands and took it home. The village bullies, who had been watching, stopped gloating. They were dazed by Raju’s courage.

Raju’s act encouraged other children to abide by their own conscience. He realized the futility of befooling oneself into thinking that size equals strength. The school teacher patted Raju’s back and said, “I am deeply obliged to have a student like you. You have more dignity than any bully.” From that day, Raju was never called scrawny again. He was called brave. The eagle’s swoop had taught everyone that courage comes from the heart, not from the body.

It was a scorching afternoon at Greenfield School. The students were dazed by the harsh heat. Suddenly, a long cobra slithered through the open window. The classroom erupted in screams. The snake raised its hood, ready to pounce on the nearest student. The bully of the class, a boy named Rohan, started gloating that he would kill the snake. But his bravado was empty — he was too scared to move.

Then, a scrawny girl named Meera stood up. Everyone had always grudged her because she was quiet and thin. But Meera did not deviate from her calm. She remembered her grandfather’s words: “Do not befool yourself into thinking you are weak.” As the snake prepared to swoop, Meera picked up a broom and gently guided it out the door. The snake slithered away into the garden. The whole class was dazed by her bravery.

The teacher patted Meera’s head and said, “I am obliged to your courage. You have more dignity than all the gloating bullies combined.” Rohan stopped gloating forever. Meera’s act encouraged everyone to abide by their own conscience. The treacherous moment became a lesson in true strength. And the scrawny girl who had once been ignored became the hero of the school.