By the side of the road to Ujjayini, there grows a giant parkati tree, upon which there once lived a crow and a swan.

One hot summer, a weary traveller, setting his bow and arrows to one side, fell asleep under the shade of this tree. As the afternoon wore on, the shade of the tree moved away from the traveller. The swan, seeing that the sun fell full upon the sleeping man’s face, spread her wings to shield him from its glare. The man, still half asleep, opened his mouth and yawned. And the crow, who was villainous by nature and unable to enjoy the comfort of others, let fall his droppings into the traveller’s open mouth and flew away. The traveller awoke and looked up and immediately saw the swan. Angrily, he fitted an arrow to his bow and shot and killed the swan. So while the mischief had been caused by the crow, it was the swan who paid for it with its life.

Do not keep company with the bad, for no good will come of it.