"Why did you stop?" the hunter was shocked when he heard the deer speaking in a human voice.
The hunter had laid a trap in the forest while it was still dark and kept watch from a treetop. As soon as he heard the cry of a deer he started running toward the trap. The deer was struggling to set herself free. "It is my lucky day, I did not have to wait very long," the hunter thought. He reached the spot with his hunting dog. The deer started billowing at the top of her voice. Probably the barking of the dog made her more nervous.
Without wasting any time the hunter removed his knife from its cover and grabbed the deer`s neck with his other hand. Suddenly his eyes fell on a couple of fawns who were watching their motherat whom he had pointed the knife. The cubs kept staring at their mother. They looked confused. They were too afraid to come near their mother because of the dog which was barking from the top of its voice and they were not ready to run away. They did not want to leave their mother behind.
The hunter was about to hurt the deer when he suddenly realized that the deer was not struggling to escape from his grip anymore but her gaze was fixed on the fawns. He looked at her young ones once again, dropped the knife and set the deer free from the trap.
He sat on the ground with his head down. His dog had stopped barking, probably because he had never seen his master like that. The hunter wanted to make lots of money by selling a large part of the venison in the market and the rest for his family. The skin of the spotted deer could have made him rich. The hunter started cursing himself for his sudden, unprecedented weakness.
As soon as he came out of his bewilderment after hearing the deer talk he realized that the animal had not run away.
"Go away before I change my mind", the hunter cautioned.
"Why did you drop your knife and set me free?" The deer asked again.
"I do not know. I think I got confused when I saw your young ones." The hunter replied.
"What will you do now; do you have anything to eat at home?" The deer asked.
"When I saw you caught in my trap, I dreamt of the money will make. But it looks like my family is going to starve today. I have no strength left in my body to hunt anymore today," the hunter replied.
"Come with me and I will show you where you can find food to feed yourselves and sell for money too". The hunter with his dog started following the deer. Her fawns also came along with them.
The hunter followed the deer for a while deep inside the forest.
"Look at this large cornfield; it has enough corn to feed your family for many months. They grow on their own. Take as much as you need. Sell them if you wish." The hunter looked so happy to see so much food in one place.
"There's more food, please follow me", the deer said.
They walked into another part of the forest where the deer showed him the spot where squirrels had buried nuts under the ground.
"Do not take all, leave some for the squirrels too", the deer suggested.
"Now I will show you where you can get honey," the deer asked the hunter to follow her again.
Soon they reached a part of the forest where there were many large trees and a beehive hanging from almost every branch.
Smoke before you collect the honey and also keep an eye out for approaching bears", the deer suggested.
"I think you are going to be rich again", the deer said before she walked away with her young ones.