The Cold Half of the Month

Once on a time at the foot of a certain mountain there
were living together in one and the same cave two friends,
a lion and a tiger. The Bodhisatta too was living at the
foot of the same hill, as a hermit.

Now one day a dispute arose between the two friends
about the cold. The tiger said it was cold in the dark
half of the month, whilst the lion maintained that it was
cold in the light half. As the two of them together could
not settle the question, they put it to the Bodhisatta. He
repeated this stanza :

In light or dark half, whensoe'er the wind
Doth blow, 'tis cold. For cold is caused by wind.
And, therefore, I decide you both are right.

Thus did the Bodhisatta make peace between those
friends.