which are not for the public good, will result therefrom. My advisable course is not to reply to the fox, save roughly and with asperity, and to prohibit him from speaking thus in future.' He then said, 'It is excessively disrespectful for subjects to inquire into, or pry after, the recondite intention of what kings do, whatever that may be. COUPLET. Submissive bow thy head; why meddle thou with this or that? And the real circumstances of the actions of kings cannot be known to every one of their servants. The capacity of subjects is unable to comprehend that which the judgment of monarchs requires, [as it is said] None but their beasts carry their burthens.' HEMISTICH. Not to poor quails the falcon's craw belongs. Cease this questioning, and employ some stratagem that the Ass may come back, and thus the sincerity of thy faith and the excess of thy friendship will be manifest to me, and thou wilt be distinguished by my favorable notice and favor above thy peers and fellows.' Thereupon the fox went again to the Ass, and with the utmost courtesy went through the customary benedictions and salutations. The Ass turned away his face and said, COUPLET. "Twere shame to suffer for a friend like thee, Who, faithless, dost but aim at treachery. O worthless deceiver! thou didst begin by promising me my freedom; and in the end thou broughtest me into the claws of the lion. HEMISTICH. This action could arise from none but thee.' The fox replied, 'O simple one! what fancy hast thou formed, and what thought hast thou suffered to pass through thy mind? The instant thou sawest the talisman, thou wast scared from the pursuit of the treasure ; and, before thou didst behold the asperity of the thorn, thou didst relinquish the spectacle of the garden. Know that what thou sawest is a talisman, which sages have made and excogitated by way of caution, on account of the beasts and reptiles which repose in this spot; because this meadow is adorned with a variety of delicious viands, and a diversity of exquisite fruits. And did this magic spell not exist, wherever there is a beast in the world, it would come to this place, and the affairs of the inhabitants of this wilderness would become embarrassed; and now, on account of this talisman, a great variety of animals do not resort to this secluded haunt; but each one that comes hither, and beholds this shape and appearance which thou sawest, hovers no more about this meadow. Thus the inhabitants of this wilderness pass their time in freedom from care, and in happiness. And we impart to every one, for whom we have a friendship, the mystery of this talisman; and we make known the true state of this enchantment, which is nothing but mere show, to him, in order that, without fear of distraction, he may attain to these incalculable blessings. DISTICHS. 'What,' quoth the Fox, a lion seems to be, Is but a talisman and witchery; For I, of weaker frame than thou art, still And I intended to warn thee beforehand, that if thou shouldest see anything of the kind thou shouldest not be afraid. But I was so transported at meeting thee that it escaped my memory. Now that thou hast full knowledge of that empty form, come back, since my directions will issue only in thy honor.' In this manner he tempted and cajoled the unfortunate Ass till he trod again the path of folly; and, beguiled by his seductive persuasions, proceeded towards that jungle. The fox went before him, and having conveyed to the lion the good tidings of the Ass's approach, besought him not to move from his place, and not to step beyond the circle of dignified repose. Nay, he desired him not to heed the Ass at all, however near he might pass by him until he should get full power and a good opportunity to accomplish his purpose. The lion heartily assented to the fox's advice, which was so loyally given, and stood on his feet in a corner of the jungle like a magical figure without life. Then the fox said to the Ass, Come here! that thou mayest see the real truth of this enchantment, and mayest know that it is altogether incapable of motion, and devoid of all idea of doing mischief. The Ass advanced boldly, and however near he grazed to the lion he did not see him move in the least. By gentle degrees he became accustomed to him, and gradually grew familiar with him; and being altogether at his ease, with reference to him, fell to work with the grass. Then the luckless Ass, who had suffered a long time from insatiable hunger, on now beholding the table of invitation spread before him, and on finding the tray of dainties ready, began to eat, and did not pull the rein until he reached the boundary of repletion. When he was quite full he lay down before the enchanted lion in the middle of the meadow. Thereupon the lion, finding him off his guard, made a spring and tore open his belly. This done, he said to the fox, 'Keep watch! till I go to the spring of water and perform my ablutions, after which I will eat the heart and ears of the Ass, since the physicians have prescribed them as the remedy of this disease.' The lion accordingly turned in the direction of the fountain, and the fox ate up the heart and ears of the Ass, which were the daintiest parts of him. When the lion had finished the requisite ablutions, and had returned, however much he searched for the heart and ears, he could not find a trace of them. He then said to the fox, 'Where are these two parts, which are to cure me, gone? and who has taken them away?' The fox replied, May the king live for ever! this Ass had neither ears nor heart, for had he had a heart, which is the place of the reason, he would not have been deceived by my artifices; and had he had ears, which are the organs of hearing, he would, after having had ocular demonstration of the terrors of your majesty, have distinguished my false words from the truth, and would not have come with his own feet to the edge of the grave.' And I have adduced this story in order that thou mayest know that I am not without heart and ears; and thou hast not omitted any refinement of artifice, but by my own penetration and sagacity I have found thee out, and I have exerted myself much, so that when affairs had become perilous, they were smoothed again; and life which had reached the lip, again shed the radiance of animation over my frame. COUPLET. Wounded, 'twas not my fate by thee to die; Else thy stern heart failed nought in cruelty. And hereafter hope not for companionship with me, and relinquish the idea of my return, which belongs to the impossibilities, and rest assured that, QUATRAIN. Wert thou the moon, I'd gaze less on the sky; The cypress wert thou, I'd the garden quit : Hung it on thee, I'd life itself not buy; Thy name I'll ne'er recall, nor think of it.' The Tortoise answered, 'Thou sayest the truth, and it is all one whether I protest or deny. I own I have inflicted on thy heart a wound, which, as long as existence lasts, cannot be salved. And the brand of perfidy and cruelty has so set its stamp on my countenance, that its erasion enters not into the area of possibility. I feel that I must make up my mind to quaff the bitter beverage of separation, and must oppose my body like a shield, to the poisoned sword of parting. VERSE. "Twere fit that I in bloody tears should lie, Who thus his ruin did himself assay? I could not purchase pardon for this sin.' Thus he spake and downcast and shame-stricken turned back, and during the rest of his life he bewailed his separation from such a friend, and said, COUPLET. Fate wrote this cruel treatment in my loved companion's lot, Else, heaven forbid !—the thought of wrong in my breast harbored not. This is the history of one who, having acquired wealth or secured a friend, loses him through folly or neglect, and so falls into perpetual remorse; and however much he beats his head on a stone, or a stone on his head, it is all in vain. It behoves men of understanding to make the instructions of this story the guide of their conduct, and to set a high value on a desired object when it is gained, whether it be worldly substance or a soul-bound friend. Whatever of this nature is let slip is not to be re-acquired by wishing, and regret and chagrin will prove unavailing. STANZA. Prize high a wished-for object, when 'tis won; CHAPTER VI. ON THE CALAMITOUS RESULTS OF PRECIPITATION, AND THE INTRODUCTION. The world-conquering king, distinguishing the clear-minded Bráhman by the honor of his address, said, COUPLET. 'Praised be thy soul! in God's1 own secrets wise. Praised be thy words! unveiling mysteries. Thou hast narrated the story of one, who after securing the object of his desire, chose to be careless in preserving it, and hence the treasure passed from his hands and he was plunged in regret, and though panged with distress for his bereavement, obtained nought but remorse and grief. Now recount the tale of one acting precipitately in the pursuit of his desired object, and continuing devoid of the advantages of counsel and deliberation, and point out in what such conduct and procedure finally issued, and what fruit men reap when they sow in the field of action the seed of haste?' The Brahman loosed his tongue in praise of the great king, and said, COUPLET. 'King! still on thee may earth's enactments rest, And all earth's garden with thy rule be blest! Whoever bases not his actions on patience and steadiness, and does not strengthen the foundation of his proceedings by firmness and constancy, the final tendency of his doings is towards reproach, and the conclusion of his affairs will issue in repentance. And the most praiseworthy quality with which the Most High God has adorned men, and by the blessing of which he has bestowed on mankind the grade of a dignified position, is, that graceful one, long-suffering; and that eminent virtue, constancy. COUPLET. Patience is reason's treasury. We speak Of brutes and devils when we name the unmeek. And they have cleverly said, as to this, "That if thou wilt convert Hilm it becomes Milh,' that is, meekness is the salt of the table of qualities. Thus |