Hitopadesha 1.72.p1

1.72.p1

kākena uktam-evam astu | atha prātaḥ sarve yathābhimata-deśaṃ gatāḥ | ekadā nibhṛtaṃ śṛgālo brūte-sakhe mṛga ! etasminn eva vanaika-deśe sasya-pūrṇaṃ kṣetram asti | tad ahaṃ tvāṃ tatra nītvā darśayāmi | tathā kṛte sati mṛgaḥ pratyahaṃ tatra gatvā sasyaṃ khādati | tato dina-katipayena kṣetra-patinā tad dṛṣṭvā pāśās tatra yojitāḥ | anantaraṃ punar āgato mṛgaḥ tatra caran pāśair baddho 'cintayat-ko mām itaḥ kāla-pāśād iva vyādha-pāśāt trātuṃ mitrād anyaḥ samarthaḥ ?

"Very good," said Sharp-sense; "as you will;" and in the morning each started early for his own feeding-ground (returning at night). One day the Jackal drew the Deer aside, and whispered, 'Deer, in one corner of this wood there is a field full of sweet young wheat; come and let me show you.' The Deer accompanied him, and found the field, and afterwards went every day there to eat the green corn, till at last the owner of the ground spied him and set a snare. The Deer came again very shortly, and was caught in it, and (after vainly struggling) exclaimed, 'I am fast in the net, and it will be a net of death to me if no friend comes to rescue me!' Presently Small-wit, the Jackal, who had been lurking near, made his appearance, and standing still, he said to himself, with a chuckle, 'O ho! my scheme bears fruit! When he is cut up, his bones, and gristle, and blood, will fall to my share and make me some beautiful dinners,' The Deer, here catching sight of him, exclaimed with rapture, 'Ah, friend, this is excellent! Do but gnaw these strings, and I shall be at liberty. How charming to realize the saying!—

The Deer is my friend; condescend, sir, to be my friend also."