This story from the Jataka tales tells us about the power of loyalty and mutual help among three forest companions: a deer, a tortoise, and a woodpecker. They lived peacefully by the side of a lake and spent their time happily together. One day, a hunter visited the forest and noticed deer footprints near the lake. Hoping to catch the animal, he placed a large leather trap along the water's edge.
Late that night, the thirsty deer visited the lake and got caught in the trap. Frightened and hurt, he cried out loudly. Hearing his cries, the woodpecker and the tortoise rushed to help their friend. The clever woodpecker suggested that the tortoise should chew through the leather trap with his teeth. To buy time, the woodpecker flew to the hunter's house and pecked at his head whenever he tried to leave. This attack startled the hunter and kept him inside his house for some time.
Meanwhile, the tortoise successfully cut the trap, and the deer escaped. However, the tortoise became extremely tired and could not move away fast enough. The hunter arrived, captured the tortoise, placed him inside a bag, and tied it to a nearby tree. When the deer saw this, he quickly made a plan. He showed himself to the hunter and ran ahead, leading the hunter deep into the dense forest until the hunter lost his path.
The swift deer then returned to the lake, tore open the bag with his sharp horns, and set the tortoise free. Following the deer's advice, the friends hid safely—the tortoise in the water, the woodpecker in her nest, and the deer in the thick woods. When the tired hunter finally found his way back, he was shocked and disappointed to find an empty bag. Frustrated, he left the forest for good. Through quick thinking, bravery, and unity, the three friends saved one another and lived happily ever after.