More Jataka Tales | Page 9

him that they did not let go of the net, so down they went into the water. As they came out they said: "Half the night a Kingfisher kept putting out our fires. Now we have torn our clothes and got all wet trying to get this Turtle. We will build another fire, and at sunrise we will eat those young Hawks." And they began to build another fire.
The Mother Hawk heard them, and said to her mate: "Sooner or later these men will get our young. Do go and tell our friend the Lion."
At once the Father Hawk flew to the Lion.
"Why do you come at this hour of the night?" asked the Lion.
The Hawk told him the whole story.
The Lion said: "I will come at once. You go back and comfort your mate and the young ones." Soon the Lion came roaring.
When the hunters heard the Lion's roar they cried, "Now we shall all be killed." And away they ran as fast as they could go.
When the Lion came to the foot of the tree, not one of the hunters was to be seen. Then the Kingfisher and the Turtle came up, and the Hawks said: "You have saved us. Friends in need are friends indeed."

XIV
THE BRAVE LITTLE BOWMAN
Once upon a time there was a little man with a crooked back who was called the wise little bowman because he used his bow and arrow so very well. This crooked little man said to himself: "If I go to the king and ask him to let me join his army, he's sure to ask what a little man like me is good for. I must find some great big man who will take me as his page, and ask the king to take us." So the little bowman went about the city looking for a big man.
One day he saw a big, strong man digging a ditch "What makes a fine big man like you do such work?" asked the little man.
"I do this work because I can earn a living in no other way," said the big man.
"Dig no more," said the bowman. "There is in this whole country no such bowman as I am; but no king would let me join his army because I am such a little man. I want you to ask the king to let you join the army. He will take you because you are big and strong. I will do the work that you are given to do, and we will divide the pay. In this way we shall both of us earn a good living. Will you come with me and do as I tell you?" asked the little bowman.
"Yes, I will go with you," said the big man.
So together they set out to go to the king. By and by they came to the gates of the palace, and sent word to the king that a wonderful bowman was there. The king sent for the bowman to come before him. Both the big man and the little man went in and, bowing, stood before the king.
The king looked at the big man and asked, "What brings you here?"
"I want to be in your army," said the big man.
"Who is the little man with you?" asked the king.
"He is my page," said the big man.
"What pay do you want?" asked the king.
"A thousand pieces a month for me and my page, O King," said the big man.
"I will take you and your page," said the king.
So the big man and the little bowman joined the king's army.
Now in those days there was a tiger in the forest who had carried off many people. The king sent for the big man and told him to kill that tiger.
The big man told the little bowman what the king said. They went into the forest together, and soon the little bowman shot the tiger.
The king was glad to be rid of the tiger, and gave the big man rich gifts and praised him.
Another day word came that a buffalo was running up and down a certain road. The king told the big man to go and kill that buffalo. The big man and the little man went to the road, and soon the little man shot the buffalo. When they both went back to the king, he gave a bag of money to the big man.
The king and all the people praised the big man, and so one day the big man said to the little man: "I can get on without you. Do you think there's no bowman but yourself?" Many other harsh and unkind things did he say to the little man.
But a few days later a king from a far country marched upon the city and sent a message