Hitopadesha 1.69.p1

1.69.p1

evaṃ viśvāsya sa mārjāras taru-koṭare sthitaḥ | tato dineṣu gacchatsu asau pakṣi-śāvakān ākramya sva-koṭaram ānīya pratyahaṃ khādati | atha yeṣām apatyāni khāditāni | taiḥ śokārtair vilapadbhir itas tato jijñāsā samārabdhā | tat parijñāya mārjāraḥ koṭarān niḥsṛtya bahiḥ palāyitaḥ | paścāt pakṣibhir itas tato nirūpayadbhis tatra taru-koṭare śāvakāḥ khāditā iti sarvaiḥ pakṣibhir niścitya ca gṛdhro vyāpāditaḥ | ato 'haṃ bravīmi-ajñāta-kula-śīlasya ity ādi |

"And so, winning the old Vulture's confidence, Long-ear, the Cat, entered the hollow tree and lived there. And day after day he stole away some of the nestlings, and brought them down to the hollow to devour. Meantime the parent birds, whose little ones were being eaten, made an inquiry after them in all quarters; and the Cat, discovering this fact, slipped out from the hollow, and made his escape. Afterwards, when the birds came to look closely, they found the bones of their young ones in the hollow of the tree where Grey-pate lived; and the birds at once concluded that their nestlings had been killed and eaten by the old Vulture, whom they accordingly executed. That is my story, and why I warned you against unknown acquaintances."