The Fall of Three Friends

Once there lived a long and a thin-necked man, a thin and long-legged man, and a thin-chested man. They were good friends, very good friends indeed. One day, they bought a fat pig’s head and decided to go for a picnic. The hungry friends waited eagerly as they cooked the meat in a digg, a pot with a thin neck.

After some time, the long and thin-necked man peered into the pot to see whether the meat was ready. But as he peered down into the pot, his long and thin neck cracked and his head fell off, smack into the digg. He died in excruciating pain while his two friends, his very good friends, danced in cheer! They were happy thinking that they were going to get more meat.

“Hoorah! We will have the meat,” shouted the long and thin-legged man, spinning round the room and kicking up his legs in an impromptu celebration. But as he danced in glee, his thin legs snapped. He too died in terrible pain while his friend, his very good friend, pounded his chest with joy. He now had the meat all to himself!

“Wonderful! I will have this meat all to myself,” thought the thin chested man. But as he bashed his chest like a celebratory drum, it ruptured and his heart fell on the floor with a thud! Thus, he too died painfully.

So fell the three friends, the three very good friends—and all before the meal was cooked!

(From The Cuckoo and the Pigeon - a collection of Bhutanese folktales)