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MUNIPATI
127
"' Worthy man! Rely not on this monkey. She is cungrateful She poses to be friendly but will deceive you in time, I am hungry for a week and you are anxious to return home But till I get either of you, I shall not go, and till I go, you cannot come down So I advise you to pass the monkey on to me I will eat it and go, and then you will be free to come down safely and go
"The tiger spoke so many words in a single breath, and yet he did not stop Added he, 'As a species, the monkeys are ungrateful. Let me tell you the story of an unfortunate king who was killed by his monkey This was King Pavaka of Nagpur who was carried to a dense forest by a misdirected horse, Oppressed by hunger and thirst, he was roaming to and fro There he saw a monkey who understood the king's difficulty, gave him some fruits and showed him a pool of clean and cool water Meanwhile, his men joined him and the party started back, with the monkey accompanying it at the king's desire The monkey was given a privileged position at the palace, and was supplied with the best of fruits and that in plenty Later, he was made an A D C to the king, and he followed the king's person like his own shadow
“ 'It was spring The king had gone out to the palacegarden where he was resting beneath a tree Just then a drone came buzzing and sat on his body The monkey tried his best to drive it away, but when he failed, he struck at it with his sword, killing the king So, man, take my advice -and push the monkey down In doing this, you will reap a greater advantage than me.'
"The hunter was influenced by the tiger's word He pushed the monkey down and it was now held by the tiger in his paws The tiger said to her, 'Madam' This is the outcome of your being in a wrong company' But the monkey did not lose her wit nor become nervous, instead she said
