Book I (The Loss of Friends) — Passion and the Owl

Within a certain forest was a broad expanse of lake. There lived a king- swan named Passion, who spent his days in a great variety of pastimes. One day death, fatal death, visited him in the person of an owl. And the swan said: “This is a lonely wood. Where do you come from?” The owl replied: “T came because | heard of your virtues. Furthermore,

In search of virtue roaming The wide world through, No virtues being greater,

I come to you.

That I must cling in friendship To you, is sure:

The impure turns, attaining The Ganges, pure.

And again:

The conch was bone that Vishnu’s hand Has purified:

For contact with the righteous lends

A noble pride.”

After this address, the swan gave his assent, in the words: “My excellent friend, dwell with me as you like by this broad lake in this pleasant wood.” So their time was spent in friendly diversions.

But one day the owl said: “I am going to my own home, which is called Lotus Grove. If you set any value on me and feel any affection, you must not fail to pay a visit as my guest.” With these words he went home.

Now as time passed, the swan reflected: “I have grown old, living in this spot, and I do not know a single other region. So now I will go to visit my dear friend, the owl. There I shall find a brand-new recreation ground and new kinds of food, both hard and soft.”

After these reflections, he went to visit the owl. At first he could not find him in Lotus Grove, and when, after a minute search, he discovered him, there was the poor creature crouching in an ugly hole, for he was blind in the daytime. But Passion called: “My dear fellow, come out! I am your dear friend the swan, come to pay you a visit.”

And the owl replied: “I do not stir by day. You and I will meet when the sun has set.” So the swan waited a long time, met the owl at night, and after giving the conventional information about his health, being wearied by his journey, he went to sleep on the spot.

Now it happened that a large commercial caravan had encamped at that very lake. At dawn the leader rose and had the signal of departure given by conch. This the owl answered with a loud, harsh hoot, then dived into a hole

in the river-bank. But the swan did not stir. Now the evil omen so disturbed the leader’s spirit that he gave orders to a certain archer who could aim by sound. This archer strung his powerful bow, drew an arrow as far as his ear, and killed the swan, who was resting near the owl’s nest.

“And that is why I say:

Harsh talk, untimely action ... and the rest of it.”

And Lively continued: “Why, our master Rusty was all honey at first, but at the last his purpose turns to poison. Ah, yes!

He compliments you to your face; His whispered slanders never stop: Avoid a friend like that. He is

A poison-jug with cream on top.

“Yes, I have learned by experience the truth of the well-known verse:

He lifts his hands to see you standing there; His eyes grow moist; he offers half his chair; He hugs you warmly to his eager breast;

In kindly talk and question finds no rest;

His skill is wondrous in deceptive tricks; Honey without, within the poison sticks; What play is this, what strange dramatic turns, That every villain, like an actor, learns?

At first rogues’ friendship glitters bright With service, flattery, delight;

Thence, in its middle journey, shoot Gay flowers of speech that fail to fruit; Its final goal is treason, shame,

Disgust, and slanders that defame:

Alas! Who made the curséd thing?

Its one foul purpose is to sting.

And again:

They bow abjectly; leap to greet

You with their speech seductive-sweet; Pursue and hug you day by day;

Of deep devotion make display:

All praise your virtue. Never one Finds time to do what should be done.

“Woe is me! How can I, a creature herbivorous, consort with this lion who devours raw flesh? There is wisdom in the saying:

Where wealth is very much the same, And similar the family fame, Marriage or friendship is secure;

But not between the rich and poor.

And there is a proverb:

The sun, already setting, shows His final flaming power,

And still the honey-thirsty bee Explores the lotus-flower, Forgets that it will prove a trap That shuts at set of sun: Ambition, thirsting for reward, Is blind to dangers run.

Abandoning the lotus-bloom

With all its sweet content,

The jasmine’s natural perfume And luxury of scent,

The water-bees seek toilsome food, On ichor-sipping bent:

So men reject the easy good,

In rogues o’erconfident.

The bees that, too adventurous,

A novel honey seek

In springtime ichor glistening on

The elephant-monarch’s cheek,

When, tossed by wind from flapping ears, They tumble to the ground,

Remember then what gentle sport

In lotus-cups is found.

Yet, after all, virtues involve corresponding defects. For

The fruit-tree’s branch by very wealth Of fruit is bended low;

The peacock’s feathered pride compels A sluggish gait and slow;

The blooded horse that wins his race, Must like a cow be led:

The good in goodness often find

An enemy to dread.

Where Jumna’s waves roll blue With sands of sapphire hue, Black serpents have their lair; And who would hunt them there, But that a jewel’s bright star From each hood gleams afar? By virtue rising, all

By that same virtue fall.

The man of virtue commonly

Is hateful to the king,

While riches to the scamps and fools Habitually cling:

The ancient chant ‘By virtue great

Is man’ has run to seed;

The world takes rare and little note Of any plucky deed.

Sad, shamefaced lions fail to rage, Their spirit mastered by the cage;

And captive elephants’ brows and pride By drivers’ goads are scarified;

Charms dull the cobras; hopeless woe Lays scholars flat and soldiers low:

For Time, the mountebank, enjoys

A juggling bout with chosen toys.

The honey-greedy bee—poor fool!— Deserts the flowering lotus-pool Where danger is not found, to sip

The springtime ichor-rills that drip From elephant foreheads; does not fear The flapping of that monstrous ear:

So, by his nature, greedy man

Forgets the issue of his plan.

“Yes, by entering a vulgarian’s sphere of power, I have certainly forfeited my life. As the proverb says:

All who live upon their wits,

Many learned, too, are mean,

Do the wrong as quick as right: Illustration may be seen

In the well-known tale that features Camel, crow, and other creatures.”

“How was that?” asked Victor. And Lively told the story of

UGLY’S TRUST ABUSED

In a certain city lived a merchant named Ocean, who loaded a hundred camels with valuable cloth and set out in a certain direction. Now one of his camels, whose name was Ugly, was overburdened and fell limp, with every limb relaxed. Then the merchant divided the pack of cloth, loaded it on other camels, and because he found himself in a wild forest region where delay was impossible, he proceeded, leaving Ugly behind.

When the trader was gone, Ugly hobbled about and began to crop the grass. Thus in a very few days the poor fellow regained his strength.

In that forest lived a lion whose name was Haughty, who had as hangers- on a leopard, a crow, and a jackal. As they roamed the forest, they encountered the abandoned camel, and the lion said, after observing his fantastic and comical shape: “This is an exotic in our forest. Ask him what he is.” So the crow informed himself of the facts and said: “This is what goes by the name of camel in the world.” Thereupon the lion asked him: “My good friend, where did you come from?” And the camel gave precise details of his separation from the trader, so that the lion experienced compassion and guaranteed his personal security.

In this posture of affairs, the lion fought an elephant one day, received a thrust from a tusk, and had to keep his cave. And when five or six days had passed, they all found themselves in urgent distress from the failure of food. So the lion, observing how they drooped, said to them: “I am crippled by this wound and cannot supply you with the usual food. You will just have to make an effort on your own account.”

And they replied: “Why should we care to thrive, while our lord and king is in this state?” “Bravo!” said the lion. “You show the conduct and devotion of good servants. Round up some food-animal for me while I am in this condition.” Then, when they made no answer, he said to them: “Come! Do not be bashful. Hunt up some creature. Even in my present condition I will convert it into food for you and myself.”

So the four started to roam the woods. Since they found no food-animal, the crow and the jackal conferred together, and the jackal said: “Friend

crow, why roam about? Here is Ugly, who trusts our king. Let us provide for our sustenance by killing him.”

“A very good suggestion,” said the crow. “But after all, the master guaranteed his personal security, and so cannot kill him.”

“Quite so,” said the jackal. “I will interview the master and make him think of killing Ugly. Stay right here until I go home and return with the master’s answer.” With this he hastened to the master.

When he found the lion, he said: “Master, we have roamed the entire forest, and are now too famished to stir a foot. Besides, the king is on a diet. So, if the king commands, one might fortify one’s health today by means of Ugly’s flesh.”

When the lion had listened to this ruthless proposal, he cried out angrily: “Shame upon you, most degraded of sinners! The moment you repeat those words, I will strike you dead. Why, I guaranteed his personal security. How can I kill him with my own paw? You have heard the saying:

The wise declare and understand No gift of cow or food or land To be among all gifts as grand As safety granted on demand.”

“Master,” replied the jackal, “if you kill him after guaranteeing his safety, then you are indeed blameworthy. If, however, of his own accord he devotedly offers his own life to his lord and king, then no blame attaches. So you may kill him on condition that he voluntarily destines himself to slaughter. Otherwise, pray eat one or another of the rest of us. For the king is on a diet, and if food fails, he will experience a change for the worse. In that case, what value have these lives of ours, which will no longer be spent in our master’s service? If anything disagreeable happens to our gracious master, then we must follow him into the fire. For the proverb says:

Save the chieftain of the clan, Whatsoe’er the pain;

Lose him, and the clan is lost: Hubless spokes are vain.”

After listening to this, Haughty said: “Very well. Do as you will.”

With this message the jackal hastened to say to the others: “Well, friends, the master is very low. The life is oozing from the tip of his nose. If he goes, who will be our protector in this forest? So, since starvation is driving him toward the other world, let us go and voluntarily offer our own bodies. Thus we shall pay the debt we owe our gracious master. And the proverb says:

Servants, when disaster Comes upon their master, If alive and well,

Tread the road to hell.”

So they all went, their eyes brimming with tears, bowed low before Haughty, and sat down.

On seeing them, Haughty said: “My friends, did you catch any creature, or see any?” And the crow replied: “Master, though we roamed everywhere, we still did not catch any creature, nor see any. Master, pray eat me and support your life for a day. Thus the master will be replete, while I shall rise to heaven. For the saying goes:

A servant who, in loyal love, Has yielded up his breath, Adorns a lofty seat in heaven, Secure from age and death.”

On hearing this, the jackal said: “Your body is small. If he ate you, the master would scarcely prolong his life. Besides, there is a moral objection. For the verse tells us:

Crows’ flesh and such small leavings Are things to be passed by:

Why eat an evil somewhat That does not satisfy?

“You have shown your loyalty, and have won a saintly reputation in both worlds. Now make way, while I address the master.” So the jackal bowed respectfully and said: “Master, pray use my body to support your life today, thus conferring on me the best of earth and heaven. For the proverb says:

Since servants’ lives on masters hang In forfeit for their pay,

The master perpetrates no sin

In taking them away.”

Hearing this, the leopard said: “Very praiseworthy, indeed, my friend. However, your body is rather small, too. Besides, he ought not to eat you, since you belong to the same unguipugnacious family. You know the proverb:

The prudent, though with life at stake, Avoid forbidden food

(Too small at that)—from fear to lose Both earth’s and heaven’s good.

Well, you have shown yourself a loyal servant. There is truth in the stanza:

That swarms of gentlemen delight

A monarch, is not strange,

Since, first and last and times between, Their honor does not change.

Make way, then, so that I, too, may win the master’s grace.”

Thereupon the leopard bowed low and said: “Master, pray prolong your life for a day at the cost of my life. Grant me an everlasting home in heaven, and spread my fame afar on earth. Pray show no hesitation. For the proverb says:

A servant who, by loyal love, Has demonstrated worth, Attains a lasting home above And glory on the earth.”

Hearing this, poor Ugly thought: “Well, they used the most elegant phrases. Yet the master did not kill a single one of them. So I, too, will make a speech befitting the occasion. I have no doubt that all three will contradict me.”

Having come to this conclusion, he said: “Very admirable, friend leopard. But you too are unguipugnacious. How, then, can the master eat you? There is a proverb to fit the case:

The mere imagining of wrongs

To kinsmen done, confirms

The loss of earth and heaven. Such rogues Turn into unclean worms.

Make way, then, so that I, too, may address the master.”

So poor Ugly stood in the presence, bowed low and said: “Master, these you surely may not eat. Pray prolong your life by means of my life, so that I may win the best of earth and heaven. For the proverb says:

No sacrificer and no saint Can ever rise as high

As do the simple servingfolk Who for the master die.”

Hereupon the lion gave the word, the leopard and the jackal tore his body, the crow pecked out his eyes, poor Ugly yielded up the ghost, and all the others ravenously devoured him.

“And that is why I say:

All who live upon their wits ... and the rest of it.”

After telling the story, Lively continued, addressing Victor: “My dear fellow, this king, with his shabby advisers, brings no good to his dependents. Better have as king a vulture advised by swans than a swan advised by vultures. For from the vulture advisers many vices appear in their master, quite sufficient to bring ruin. Of the two, therefore, one should choose the former as king. But a king instigated by evil counsel is incapable of reflection. You know the saying:

Your jackal does not reassure; Your crow’s sharp bill offends: You therefore see me up a tree— I do not like your friends.”

“How was that?” asked Victor. And Lively told the story of