Book IV (Loss of Gains) — The Ass in the Tiger-Skin

There was once a laundryman named Clean-Cloth in a certain town. He had a single donkey who had grown very feeble from lack of fodder.

As the laundryman wandered in the forest, he saw a dead tiger, and he thought: “Ah, this is lucky. I will put this tiger-skin on the donkey and let him loose in the barley fields at night. For the farmers will think him a tiger and will not drive him out.”

When this was done, the donkey ate barley to his heart’s content. And at dawn the laundryman took him back to the barn. So as time passed, he grew plump. He could hardly squeeze into the stall.

But one day the donkey heard the bray of a she-donkey in the distance. At the mere sound he himself began to bray. Then the farmers perceived that he was a donkey in disguise, and killed him with blows from clubs and stones and arrows.

“And that is why I say:

However skilful in disguise, ... and the rest of it.”

Now while the monkey was telling these stories to the crocodile, another water-beast came up and said: “Friend crocodile, your wife has starved herself to death.”

When the crocodile heard this, he was bewildered in spirit, and lamented: “Oh, what has come upon me, upon hapless me? For the proverb says:

Where a mother does not dwell And a wife who flatters well, Better leave the house, and roam Forests not so wild as home.

Oh, my friend! Forgive my sins toward you. For I have lost her, and I plan to burn myself alive.”

When the monkey heard this, he laughed and said: “Come now! I knew from the very beginning that you were henpecked and in leading-strings. And this proves it. You dunderhead! You despair when you ought to be happy. When a wife like that dies, you ought to give a party. For the proverb says:

A wife forever nagging And falling in a rage, Is not a wife, say sages, But premature old age.

Therefore with patient effort Avoid the very name

Of every earthly woman,

If comfort be your aim.

For what she feels, she does not say; She speaks and looks a different way; Far from her looks her actions veer: Oh, woman, woman! You are queer.

But enough!

One fact suffices. Cite no more! They kill the children that they bore.

And yet:

Though girls are tasteless, hard, and selfish, Boys think them sweet and soft and elfish.”

“True enough,” said the crocodile, “but what am I to do? Two calamities have befallen me. First, my home is ruined. And second, I have quarreled with my friend. Yet so it goes with the unfortunate. You know the stanza:

The cleverness that you have shown, You naked thing! is twice my own; Your husband and your lover fair Are lost. But why this vacant stare?”

“How was that?” asked the monkey. And the crocodile told the story of

THE FARMER’S WIFE

There was once a farmer who lived with his wife in a certain place. And because the husband was old, the wife was forever thinking of lovers, and could not possibly be contented at home. Her one idea was strange men.

Now a rogue who lived by pilfering, noticed her and said: “You lovely creature, my wife is dead, and I am smitten with love at the sight of you. Pray enrich me with love’s perfect treasure.”

And she said: “You beautiful man, if you feel that way, my husband has a great deal of money, and he is so old that he cannot stir. I will bring it, so that I may go somewhere with you and enjoy the delights of love.”

“That is satisfactory to me,” he replied. “Suppose you hasten to this spot at dawn, so that we may go together to some fascinating city where life may bear for me its perfect fruit.” “Very well,” she agreed, and went home with laughing countenance.

Then at night, while her husband slept, she took all the money, and reached the rendezvous at dawn. The rogue, for his part, put her in front, started south, and traveled two leagues, gaily enjoying the delights of conversation with her. But when he saw a river ahead, he reflected: “What am I to do with this middle-aged female? Besides, someone might perhaps pursue her. I will just take her money and be off.”

So he said to her: “My dear, this is a great river, hard to cross. I will just take the money and put it safe on the far bank, then return to carry you

alone on my back, and so transport you in comfort.” “Do so, my beloved,” said she.

So he took the money to the last penny, and then he said: “Dearest, hand me your dress and your wrap, too, so that you may travel through the water unembarrassed.” And when she did so, the rogue took the money and the two garments and went to the place he had in mind.

Then the farmer’s wife sat down woebegone on the river-bank, digging her two hands into her throat. At that moment a she-jackal came to the spot, carrying a piece of meat. As she came up and peered about, a great fish leaped from the water and was stranded on the bank. On spying him, she dropped the meat and darted at the fish. Whereupon a vulture swooped from the sky and flew off with the meat. And the fish, perceiving the jackal, struggled into the river. So the she-jackal had her pains for nothing, and as she gazed after the vulture, the naked woman smiled and said:

“You poor she-jackal!

The vulture has your meat; The water holds your fish: Of fish and flesh forlorn, What further do you wish?”

And the she-jackal, perceiving that the woman was equally forlorn, having lost her husband’s money and her lover, said with a sneer:

“You naked thing!

Your cleverness is twice

As great as mine, ‘twould seem; Lover and husband lost,

You sit beside the stream.”

While the crocodile was telling this story, a second water-beast arrived and reported: “Alas! Your house has been occupied by another crocodile—a big fellow.” And the crocodile became despondent on hearing this,

anxiously considering how to drive him from the house. “Alas, my friends!” said he. “See how unlucky I am. For you must know,

A stranger occupies my house; My friend is sadly vexed;

On top of that, my wife is dead. Oh, what will happen next?

“How true it is that misfortunes never come singly! Well, shall I fight him? Or shall I address him with soft conciliation, and get him out of the house? Or shall I try intrigue? Or bribery? Ah, here is my monkey friend. I will ask him. For the proverb says:

Ask aid of kindly teachers, man, The kind you ought to ask.

Their counsel leads to sure success, Whatever be your task.”

After these reflections, he put the question to the monkey, who had climbed back into the rose-apple tree. “Oh, my friend,” said he, “see how unlucky I am. For now my very house is seized and held by a powerful crocodile. Therefore I put it to you. Tell me, what am I to do? Is this the place for soft conciliation or one of the other three devices?”

But the monkey said: “You ungrateful wretch! Why do you still pursue me, though I asked you not to? You are a fool, therefore I will not even give you good advice. For the proverb says:

Give counsel only when it fits To such as seek the best.

The foolish monkey broke to bits The sparrow’s cozy nest.”

“How was that?” asked the crocodile. And the monkey told the story of