Hindu Literature | Page 8

snare, and proceeded to gather and lay aside
his nets. At that instant Sharp-sense uttered a loud croak, and the Deer
sprang up and made off. And the club which the husbandman flung
after him in a rage struck Small-wit, the Jackal (who was close by), and
killed him. Is it not said, indeed?--
'In years, or moons, or half-moons three, Or in three days--suddenly,
Knaves are shent--true men go free,'
"Thou seest, then," said Golden-skin, "there can be no friendship
between food and feeder."
"I should hardly," replied the Crow, "get a large breakfast out of your
worship; but as to that indeed you have nothing to fear from me. I am
not often angry, and if I were, you know--
'Anger comes to noble natures, but leaves there no strife or storm:
Plunge a lighted torch beneath it, and the ocean grows not warm.'
"Then, also, thou art such a gad-about," objected the King.
"Maybe," answered Light o' Leap; "but I am bent on winning thy
friendship, and I will die at thy door of fasting if thou grantest it not.
Let us be friends! for
'Noble hearts are golden vases--close the bond true metals make; Easily
the smith may weld them, harder far it is to break. Evil hearts are
earthen vessels--at a touch they crack a-twain, And what craftsman's
ready cunning can unite the shards again?'
And then, too,
'Good men's friendships may be broken, yet abide they friends at heart;
Snap the stem of Luxmee's lotus, and its fibres will not part.'
"Good sir," said the King of the Mice, "your conversation is as pleasing
as pearl necklets or oil of sandal-wood in hot weather. Be it as you

will"--and thereon King Golden-skin made a treaty with the Crow, and
after gratifying him with the best of his store reëntered his hole. The
Crow returned to his accustomed perch:--and thenceforward the time
passed in mutual presents of food, in polite inquiries, and the most
unrestrained talk. One day Light o' Leap thus accosted Golden-skin:--
"This is a poor place, your Majesty, for a Crow to get a living in. I
should like to leave it and go elsewhere."
"Whither wouldst thou go?" replied the King; they say,
'One foot goes, and one foot stands, When the wise man leaves his
lands.'
"And they say, too," answered the Crow,
'Over-love of home were weakness; wheresoever the hero come,
Stalwart arm and steadfast spirit find or win for him a home.
Little recks the awless lion where his hunting jungles lie-- When he
enters it be certain that a royal prey shall die,'
"I know an excellent jungle now."
"Which is that?" asked the Mouse-king.
"In the Nerbudda woods, by Camphor-water," replied the Crow. "There
is an old and valued friend of mine lives there--Slow-toes his name is, a
very virtuous Tortoise; he will regale me with fish and good things."
"Why should I stay behind," said Golden-skin, "if thou goest? Take me
also."
Accordingly, the two set forth together, enjoying charming converse
upon the road. Slow-toes perceived Light o' Leap a long way off, and
hastened to do him the guest-rites, extending them to the Mouse upon
Light o' Leap's introduction.
"Good Slow-toes," said he, "this is Golden-skin, King of the Mice--pay

all honor to him--he is burdened with virtues--a very jewel-mine of
kindnesses. I don't know if the Prince of all the Serpents, with his two
thousand tongues, could rightly repeat them." So speaking, he told the
story of Speckle-neck. Thereupon Slow-toes made a profound
obeisance to Golden-skin, and said, "How came your Majesty, may I
ask, to retire to an unfrequented forest?"
"I will tell you," said the King. "You must know that in the town of
Champaka there is a college for the devotees. Unto this resorted daily a
beggar-priest, named Chudakarna, whose custom was to place his
begging-dish upon the shelf, with such alms in it as he had not eaten,
and go to sleep by it; and I, so soon as he slept, used to jump up, and
devour the meal. One day a great friend of his, named Vinakarna, also a
mendicant, came to visit him; and observed that while conversing, he
kept striking the ground with a split cane, to frighten me. 'Why don't
you listen?' said Vinakarna. 'I am listening!' replied the other; 'but this
plaguy mouse is always eating the meal out of my begging-dish,'
Vinakarna looked at the shelf and remarked, 'However can a mouse
jump as high as this? There must be a reason, though there seems none.
I guess the cause--the fellow is well off and fat,' With these words
Vinakarna snatched up a shovel, discovered my retreat, and took away
all my hoard of provisions. After that I lost strength daily, had scarcely
energy enough