The Foolhardy Jackal

Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in
Benares, the Bodhisatta was a maned lion and dwelt at
Gold Den in the Himalayas. Bounding forth one day from
his lair, he looked North and West, South and East, and
roared aloud as he went in quest of prey. Slaying a large
buffalo, he devoured the prime of the carcass, after which
he went down to a pool, and having drunk his fill of crystal
water turned to go towards his den. Now a hungry jackal,
suddenly meeting the lion, and being unable to make his
escape, threw himself at the lion's feet. Being asked what
he wanted, the jackal replied, "Lord, let me be your
servant." " Very well," said the lion ; " serve me and you
shall feed on prime meat." So saying, he went with the
jackal following to Gold Den. Thenceforth the lion's
leavings fell to the jackal, and he grew fat.

Lying one day in his den, the lion told the jackal to
scan the valleys from the mountain top, to see whether
there were any elephants or horses or buffaloes about, or
any other animals of which he, the jackal, was fond.
If any such were in sight, the jackal was to report and say
with due obeisance, "Shine forth in thy might, Lord." Then
the lion promised to kill and eat, giving a part to the
jackal. 80 the jackal used to climb the heights, and when-
ever he espied below beasts to his taste, he would report
it to the lion, and falling at his feet, say, " Shine forth in
thy might, Lord." Hereon the lion would nimbly bound
forth and slay the beast, even if it were a rutting elephant,
and share the prime of the carcass with the jackal.
Glutted with his meal, the jackal would then retire to his
den and sleep.

Now as time went on, the jackal grew bigger and
bigger till he grew haughty. " Have not I too four legs ? '
he asked himself. " Why am I a pensioner day by day on
others' bounty ? Henceforth / will kill elephants and other
beasts, for my own eating. The lion, king of beasts, only
kills them because of the formula, ' Shine forth in thy
might, Lord.' I'll make the lion call out to me, 'Shine
forth in thy might, jackal,' and then I'll kill an elephant
for myself." Accordingly he went to the lion, and pointing
out that he had long lived on what the lion had killed, told
his desire to eat an elephant of his own killing, ending with
a request to the lion to let him, the jackal, couch in the
lion's corner in Gold Den whilst the lion was to climb the
mountain to look out for an elephant. The quarry found,
he asked that the lion should come to him in the den and
say, "Shine forth in thy might, jackal." He begged the
lion not to grudge him this much. Said the lion, " Jackal,
only lions can kill elephants, nor has the world ever seen
a jackal able to cope with them. Give up this fancy, and
continue to feed on what I kill." But say what the lion
could, the jackal Avould not give way, and still pressed his
request. So at last the lion gave way, and bidding the
jackal couch in the den, climbed the peak and thence
espied an elephant in rut. Returning to the mouth of
the cave, he said, "Shine forth in thy might, jackal."
Then from Gold Den the jackal nimbly bounded forth,
looked around him on all four sides, and, thrice raising its
howl, sprang at the elephant, meaning to fasten on its
head. But missing his aim, he alighted at the elephant's
feet. The infuriated brute raised its right foot and crushed
the jackal's head, trampling the bones into powder. Then
pounding the carcass into a mass, and dunging upon it,
the elephant clashed trumpeting into the forest. Seeing
all this, the Bodhisatta observed, " Now shine forth in thy
might, jackal," and uttered this stanza :

Tour mangled corpse, your brains mashed into clay,
Prove how you've shone forth in your might to-day.

Thus spake the Bodhisatta, and living to a good old
age he passed away in the fulness of time to fare according
to his deserts.