The Otters and The Jackal

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in
Benares, the Bodhisatta was a tree-spirit by a river-bank.
A jackal, named Mayavl, had taken a wife and lived in a
place by that river-bank. One day his mate said to him,
"Husband, a longing has come upon me: I desire to eat
a fresh rohita fish." He said, "Be easy, I will bring it
you," and going by the river he wrapt his feet in creepers,
and went along the bank. At the moment, two otters,
Gambhiracari and Anutlracarl, were standing on the bank
looking for fish. Gambhiracari saw a great rohita fish,
and entering the water with a bound he took it by the
tail. The fish was strong and went away dragging him.
He called to the other, "This great fish will be enough
for both of us, come and aid me," speaking the first stanza :

Friend Anutiracari, rush to my aid, I pray:

I've caught a great fish: but by force he's carrying me away.

Hearing him, the other spoke the second stanza :

Gambhiracari, luck to you! your grip be firm and stout,
And as a roc would lift a snake, I'll lift the fellow out.

Then the two together took out the rohita fish, laid
him on the ground and killed him: but saying each to
the other, "You divide him," they quarrelled and could
not divide him: and so sat down, leaving him. At the
moment the jackal came to the spot. Seeing him, they
both saluted him and said, " Lord of the grey grass-colour,
this fish was taken by both of us together: a dispute arose
because we could not divide him : do you make an equal
division and part it," speaking the third stanza:

A strife arose between us, mark! O thou of grassy hue,
Let our contention, honoured, sir, be settled fair by you.

The jackal hearing them, said, declaring his own
strength :

I've arbitrated many a case and done it peacefully:

Let your contention, honoured sirs, be settled fair by me.

Having spoken that stanza, and making the division, he
spoke this stanza:

Tail, Anutiracari; Gambhiracari, head:

The middle to the arbiter will properly be paid.

So having divided the fish, he said, " You eat head and
tail without quarrelling," and seizing the middle portion
in his mouth he ran away before their eyes. They sat
downcast, as if they had lost a thousand pieces, and spoke
the sixth stanza :

But for our strife, it would have long- sufficed us without fail:
But now the jackal takes the fish, and leaves us head and tail.

The jackal was pleased and thinking " Now I will give
my wife rohita fish to eat," he went to her. She saw him
coming and saluting him spoke a stanza:

Even as a king is glad to join a kingdom to his rule,
So I am glad to see my lord to-day with his mouth full.

Then she asked him about the means of attainment,
speaking a stanza:

How, being 1 of the land, have you from water caught a fish?
How did you do the feat, my lord? pray answer to my wish.

The jackal, explaining the means to her, spoke the
next stanza:

By strife it is their weakness comes, by strife their means decay:
By strife the otters lost their prize : Mayavi, eat the prey.