The Cat and The Cock

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king in
Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a cock and lived
in the forest with a retinue of many hundred cocks. Not
far away lived a she-cat : and she deceived by devices the
other cocks except the Bodhisatta and ate them : but
the Bodhisatta did not fall into her power. She thought,
"This cock is very crafty, but he knows not that I am
crafty and skilful in device : it is good that I cajole him,
saying, ' I will be your wife,' and so eat him when he comes
into my power." She went to the root of the tree where
he perched, and praying him in a speech preceded by
praise of his beauty, she spoke the first stanza :

Bird with wing's that flash so gaily, crest that droops so gracefully,
I will be your wife for nothing 1 , leave the bough and come to me.

The Bodhisatta hearing her thought, " She has eaten
all my relatives ; now she wishes to cajole me and eat me :
I will get rid of her." So he spoke the second stanza :

Lady fair and winning, you have four feet, I have only two:
Beasts and birds should never marry: for some other husband sue.

Then she thought, " He is exceedingly crafty ; by some
device or other I will deceive him and eat him " ; so she
spoke the third stanza:

I will bring thee youth and beauty, pleasant speech and courtesy :
Honoured wife or simple slave-girl, at thy pleasure deal with me.

Then the Bodhisatta thought, "It is best to revile her
and drive her away," so he spoke the fourth stanza:

Thou hast drunk my kindred's blood, and robbed and slain them cruelly :
" Honoured wife ! " there is no honour in thy heart when wooing me.

She was driven away and did not endure to look at
him again.