After this, when many days had passed, it was discovered that the Cat had, by
degrees, drawn all the little birds down into the hollow of the tree, and there
devoured them; but when he found inquiry was about to be made by those whose
young ones had been eaten, he slipped out of the hole and made his escape. In
the meantime, the bones of the young ones having been discovered in the hollow
of the tree by the parent birds, who had been searching here and there, they
concluded that their little ones had been devoured by the Jackal, and so, being
joined by other birds, they put him to death.
Wherefore I say, "To one whose family and profession are unknown, one should
not give residence."
[1]Long-ear
[2]Forsaking all worldly concerns to lead a godly life.
The Greedy Jackal
A hoard should always be made; but not too great a hoard. A Jackal, through the
fault of hoarding too much, was killed by a bow.
A certain Huntsman, by name Bhirava, being fond of flesh, once upon a time
went to hunt in the forests of the Vindhya mountains and having killed a Deer, as
he was carrying him away, he chanced to see a wild Boar of a formidable
appearance. So, laying the Deer upon the ground, he wounded the Boar with an
arrow; but, upon his approaching him, the horrid animal set up a roar dreadful as
the thunder of the clouds, and wounding the Huntsman in the groin, he fell like a
tree cut off by the axe. At the same time, a Serpent, of that species which is
called Ajagara, pressed by hunger and wandering about, rose up and bit the
Boar, who instantly fell helpless upon him, and remained upon the spot. For:
The body having encountered some efficient cause, water, fire, poison, the
sword, hunger, sickness, or a fall from an eminence, is forsaken by the vital
spirits.
In the meantime, a Jackal, by name Deergharava, prowling about in search of
prey, discovered the Deer, the Huntsman, and the Boar; and having observed
them, he said to himself: "Here is a fine feast prepared for me; with their flesh I