shall have food to eat. The Man will last me for a whole month, and the Deer
and the Boar for two more; then the Serpent will serve me a day; and let me taste
the bow-string too. But, in the first place, let me try that which is the least
savoury. Suppose, then, I eat this catgut line which is fastened to the bow":
saying so, he drew near to eat it; but the instant he had bit the line in two, he was
torn asunder by the spring of the bow; and he was reduced to the state of the five
elements. I say, therefore, "A hoard should always be made; but not too great a
hoard."
The Elephant and the Jackal
That which cannot be effected by force may be achieved by cunning. An
Elephant was killed by a Jackal, in going over a swampy place.
In the forest Brahmaranya there was an Elephant, whose name was
Karphooratilaka,[1] who having been observed by the jackals, they all
determined that if he could by any stratagem be killed, he would be four months'
provisions for them all. One of them, who was of exceeding vicious inclination
and by nature treacherous, declared that he would engage, by the strength of his
own judgment, to effect his death. Some time after, this deceitful wretch went up
to the Elephant, and having saluted him, said: "Godlike sir! Condescend to grant
me an audience." "Who art thou?" demanded the Elephant, "and whence comest
thou?" "My name," replied he, "is Kshudrabuddhi,[2] a jackal, sent into thy
presence by all the inhabitants of the forest, assembled for that purpose, to
represent that, as it is not expedient to reside in so large a forest as this without a
chief, your Highness, endued with all the cardinal virtues, hath been selected to
be anointed Rajah of the Woods. Then, that we may not lose the lucky moment,"
continued the Jackal, "be pleased to follow quickly." Saying this, he cocked his
tail and went away.
The Elephant, whose reason was perverted by the lust of power, took the same
road as the Jackal, and followed him so exactly that, at length, he stuck fast in a
great mire. "O my friend!" cried the Elephant, "what is to be done in this
disaster? I am sinking in a deep mire!"
The Jackal laughed, and said: "Please, your divine Highness, take hold of my tail
with your trunk, and get out! This is the fruit of those words which thou didst
place confidence in."