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JUNE, 1899.)
MISCELLANEA.
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a jackal saw him and thought to himself what a comer when you took up with the deer. Is dainty meal he could make of him. So thinking | not a castor oil plant considered a huge tree in the jackal came to the deer and said : Let us a treeless plain? It is only the ignorant be friends.' Who are you P asked the deer.i make a difference between a friend and a foe.'
I am Subuddhi, the jackal, and I desire your Hearing this, the deer said :-Why all this wrangl. friendship.' So the deer took tbe jackal to his ing? Let us all spend our days in one place in Inir and when the crow who was perched on a tree peace.' On hearing this, the crow consented. close by saw them he said to the deer :- Who The deer, the jackal and the crow lived together is your friend P' This is my dear friend, the in harmony. After some days had passed the jackal Subuddhi,' he answered. To this the crow jackal said to the deer:-Friend! I have scen replied: Can you trust a new.comer? In days in the forest a field fully ripe. Accompany me. of yore, a kite, Jarathgava by name, died I will show you the field' So saying the fox • through having entertained a cat, which story took the deer with him and showed him the place. I shall tell you.
After this the deer began to graze there. The On the banks of the Bhagirathi is a large fig
owner of the field noticed it and resolved to kill tree. In a hole in its trunk there lived Jarath
the beast. So he laid a net at a corner of the gava, an old kite. The birds that lived on the tree
field and went home. The animal as usual came used to share their food with him and thus he
the next day to the field to graze and was entangl. managed to live. One day, Thirghakarna, a cat,
ed in the meshes and began to think :-Alas! approached the tree noiselessly, intending to eat
I am caught in . net! What can I do? Who is the nestlings. They cried out when they saw her,
there to rescue me? If my friend the crow and Jarathgava, hearing the noise, looked out
chance to come he might save me. The jackal and spied the cat. The cat was sore afraid
was pleased at the sight and thought that his of the kite, and thought to herself: I am in evil
object was gained. So he went up to the deer, case, I can only escape by my cunning.' So the
who said-Friend, come quick and cut the net.' cat stood before the kite and bowed to him,
The jack al said :- "This is the holy day of whereupon the kite asked her who she was. 'I am
Munisvara. How can I touch animal sinew on a a cat, and people call me Thirghakarna. To fast day P Any other day I am at your service.' which the kite replied --Be off at once, or it Night came on. The crow missing the deer will be the worse for you.' To which the kite
came to look for him and asked him what had replied:- 'Kindly let me explain.' So the kite happened. This comes,' he answered, 'of trustenquired the cat's errand. To which she ing a false friend.' Meanwhile the farmer came replied I have changed my course of life and up, and the crow said He comes like another become a Brahmachårin. I have long wished to Yama, and we must act at once. Do as I tell you. meet you, and hospitality is a sacred duty' The Spread out your legs and feign to be dead.' The kite, in answer, said :- Cats are very fond of deer followed his advice, and when the farmer meat, and there are many nestlinge here. This is loosed him from the net the crow gave a caw and why I spoke.' When the cat heard this, she put the deer escaped. Just then the jackæl came up her paws to her ears, and invoking the Lord in hopes of a meal: but the farmer, vexed at his Krishna swore that she had given up animal food, mishap, killed him with a blow of his cudgel. and was now devoted to deeds piety. Hearing He that digs a pit for others falls in himself.'" these words, the kite requested the cat not to be When he heard this tale, Laghupathanaka said angry. How can a person know the character of
to Hiranayaka :- This is foolish talk. Accept a new-comer as soon as he arrives P Come and go
me as your friend like Chitragriva." as you please.' So the cat became a crony of the kite and used to live in the same hole in the tree.
To which Hiranayaka replied :-"You are fickle
minded. It is not advisable to make an everlastBy and by the cat used to creep out every
ing friendship with the fickle-minded. To add night and eat some of the nestlinge, which when
to this, you are my enemy. It is not good to be the birds perceived they began to look about.
on terms of intimacy with an enemy, however The cat cleared out at once, and the birds found
good he may be. I cannot therefore be intimate the bones in the nest of the kite and pecked him
with you." To which Laghupathanaka replied :to pieces.
"Why talk so much without understanding my Therefore it is that I said that we should not disposition P Hear my last word. I have been trust a new-comer.'
Chitragriva enjoying the pleasure of your comHearing thiy, the jackal looked indignantly pany. I desire to be on terms of friendship at the crow, and said :-'Yon too were a new with you. It is well if you fulfil my prayers.
