more to grieve than I, whose maintenance was from hunting frogs? Today an
event has occurred which has rendered the pursuit of them unlawful to me, and if
I seriously designed to seize one, I could not." The Frog went away and told the
King, who was amazed at this strange circumstance, and coming to the Snake,
asked him: "What is the cause of this accident that has befallen thee and what act
has brought down this upon thee?"
The Snake replied: "O King, greed plunged me into calamity, and this befell as
follows: One day I attempted to seize a Frog, which fled from me and took
refuge in the house of a holy man. My appetite led me to follow him into the
house, which happened to be dark. The son of the holy man lay there asleep, and
his great toe coming against me I fancied it was the Frog. From the ardour of my
greediness I closed my teeth upon it, and the child died on the spot. The holy
man discovered the fact, and from regret for his son, attacked me, and I, turning
toward the open country, fled with speed, and the recluse pursued me and cursed
me, and said: 'I desire of my Creator that He will make thee base and powerless,
and cause thee to be the vehicle of the Frog-king. And, verily, thou shalt not
have power to eat Frogs, save what their King shall bestow on thee as alms.' And
now, of necessity, I have come hither that the King may ride upon me, and I
have acquiesced in the will of God."
The matter pleased the King of the Frogs, and he thought that it would redound
to his advantage; and he at once seated himself upon the Snake, and indulged in
vainglorious airs in consequence.
Some time passed in this way. At last the Snake said: "May the life of the King
be prolonged! I cannot do without food and sustenance, that I may support life
thereon and fulfil this service." The King said: "The case is as thou sayest; I
cannot do without my steed, and my steed cannot have strength without food."
He then fixed two Frogs as his daily allowance, that he might use as his regular
supply for breakfast and dinner. The Snake maintained himself on that
allowance; and inasmuch as the attention he paid to the Frog-king involved a
benefit to himself he did not find fault with it.
And this story is adduced to make it apparent that courtesy and humility are
readier means to uproot an enemy than war and contest.
The Old Woman's Cat