Kancil the Mouse Deer, the Ant, and the Lizard

One sunny day in the forest, Kancil the Mouse Deer was strolling along, nibbling on fresh leaves and admiring the beauty around him. Kancil was known for his cleverness, but also for sometimes being a bit too proud of his abilities. As he walked, he encountered Semut the Ant and Cicak the Lizard by a riverbank.

The two were hard at work. Semut was gathering tiny grains of food to store for her colony, while Cicak was busy catching insects by the river. Seeing them, Kancil laughed and said, “Why work so hard, my friends? Life is too short to spend it all working! Look at me—I don’t worry, yet I always find food and shelter.”

Semut looked up, wiped her brow, and replied, “I may be small, Kancil, but I know the importance of preparing for difficult times. My colony depends on me.” Cicak agreed, saying, “Yes, Kancil. You may not need to worry, but each of us has our own way of surviving.”

Kancil chuckled and said, “All right, how about this? Let’s have a challenge. I bet I can cross the river faster than both of you, even with your hard work!”

Semut and Cicak looked at each other, surprised. “Are you sure, Kancil?” asked Cicak. “The river can be tricky and strong, even for someone as clever as you.” But Kancil, confident in his skills, insisted. He didn’t know that the river currents were unusually strong that day.

The three animals agreed to meet by the river the next morning for the challenge. Cicak and Semut prepared carefully, while Kancil simply rested, certain that his natural agility would see him through.

The next morning, the challenge began. Semut, being tiny, had found a floating leaf and used it to cross slowly but safely, paddling carefully with a small twig. Cicak, with his swift legs and sticky feet, used rocks that jutted out of the water as stepping stones, crossing cautiously.

Kancil, however, jumped straight into the water, expecting to swim across easily. But the strong currents began pulling him downstream, and he found himself struggling to stay afloat. “Help!” he cried, panicking as the river pulled him away.

Hearing his cries, Semut and Cicak quickly sprang into action. Cicak climbed a tree branch that hung over the river and extended his tail toward Kancil, while Semut helped by giving directions from her leaf to guide Kancil toward a shallow area.

With their help, Kancil was able to reach the riverbank safely, exhausted and humbled. He looked at his two friends, realizing that he had underestimated them and overestimated himself.

Kancil lowered his head in shame and said, “Thank you, my friends. I was wrong to boast and judge your hard work. Today, you’ve taught me that everyone has strengths, and that being prepared is just as important as being clever.”

Semut smiled and replied, “We’re all different, Kancil. Sometimes, strength alone isn’t enough; we also need caution, teamwork, and preparation.” Cicak added, “That’s right, Kancil. Next time, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t overlook the strengths of others.”

From that day on, Kancil learned to appreciate his friends’ unique qualities and respected their hard work. The mouse deer, the ant, and the lizard became closer friends, supporting each other in their own ways and reminding each other of the value of humility, teamwork, and respect.