The Lion and The Bull

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in
Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as his son, and after
acquiring all the arts at Takkasila, on his father's death,
he ruled his kingdom righteously.

At that time a certain neatherd, who was tending cattle
in their sheds in the forest, came home and inadvertently
left behind him a cow that was in calf. Between the
cow and a lioness sprang up a firm Mendship. The two
animals became fast friends and went about together.
So after a time the cow brought forth a calf and the
lioness a cub. These two young creatures also by force of
family ties became fast friends and wandered about to-
gether. Then a certain forester, after observing their
affection, took such wares as are produced in the forest
and went to Benares and presented them to the king.
And when the king asked him, "Friend, have you seen
any unusual marvel in the forest ? " he made answer,

" I saw nothing else that was wonderful, my lord, but I did
see a lion and a bull wandering about together, very
friendly one towards another."

"Should a third animal appear," said the king, "there
will certainly be mischief. Come and tell me, if you see
the pair joined by a third animal."

" Certainly, my lord," he answered.

Now when the forester had left for Benares, a jackal
ministered to the lion and the bull. When he returned
to the forest and saw this he said, " I will tell the king that
a third animal has appeared," and departed for the city.
Now the jackal thought, "There is no meat that I have
not eaten except the flesh of lions and bulls. By setting
these two at variance, I will get their flesh to eat." And
he said, " This is the way he speaks of you," and thus
dividing them one from another, he soon brought about a
quarrel and reduced them to a dying condition.

But the forester came and told the king, " My lord, a
third animal has turned up." " What is it ? " said the king.
"A jackal, my lord." Said the kin< "He will cause them
to quarrel, and will bring about their death. We shall find
them dead when we arrive." And so saying, he mounted
upon his chariot and travelling- on the road pointed out
by the forester, he arrived just as the two animals had by
their quarrel destroyed one another. The jackal highly
delighted was eating, now the flesh of the lion, now that of
the bull. The king when he saw that they were both dead,
stood just as he was upon his chariot, and addressing his
charioteer gave utterance to these verses :

Nought in common had this pair,
Neither wives nor food did share;
Yet behold how slanderous word,
Keen as any two-edged sword,

Did devise with cunning 1 art
Friends of old to keep apart.
Thus did bull and lion fall
Prey to meanest beast of all:

So will all bed-fellows be

With this pair in misery,

If they lend a willing- ear

To the slanderer's whispered sneer.

But they thrive exceeding well,
E'en as those in heaven that dwell,
Who to slander ne'er attend
Slander parting- friend from friend.

The king- spoke these verses, and bidding them gather
together the mane, skin, claws, and teeth of the lion,
returned straight to his own city.