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140
JAINA STORIES
say, 'Black cats, kill the white cat'. At once our power will increase and we shall throw it on the ground
25
This time the white cat came earlier. It had gained confidence by her previous successes. Now, as soon as the fight started, Sura came up and said,
"Black cats! Kill the white cat,"
At once their power increased tremendously and the white cat was down rolling on the ground beneath them, and the black cats pressed so hard at its neck that it was about to die Now, Sura thought,
"If my words can give strength to the black cats, similar words may give strength to the white one, and I may be rid of all the three Let me try." And he said aloud,
"White cat' Kill the black ones."
And the black cats soon lay dead. Even the white cat didn't live long thereafter.
When all the three were thus dead and gone, Sura felt relieved. He performed the last rites for all the three, and came straight to his brother's house where he was received by his sister-in law Destiny is so powerful that it pursues a man wirerever he may go One day, as Sura was sitted and his sister-in-law was standing beside him, a man came from the farm to announce the death of a bull while ploughing the land. He said that if it was not immediately replaced by a new bull, the work of cultivation would suffer. As soon as the lady heard this, she at once showered some powder on Sura's head which at once turned him into a bull It was then led to the farm and yoked to the plough
Poor Sura What a miserable life started for him! Days passed. One day, the hook in his nose broke and fell down. This at once dispelled the charm and Sura regained his human form At once he slipped away from the farm. On the highway, he met his brother who expressed a deep concern at the severe wounds on his body and requested him to accompany him home Declining the offer, Sura said,
"My brother! Let thy home be sweet unto thee My
