The Panther and The Goat

The Master told this tale while dwelling in Jetavana,
concerning a certain she-goat. At one time the Elder
Moggallana lived in a dwelling with one door, in a moun-
tain enclosure, surrounded by hills. His covered walk
was close by the door. Some goatherds thought the
enclosure would be a good place for their goats, so they
drove them in and lived there at their pleasure. One day
they came in the evening, took all the goats, and went
away : but one she-goat had wandered far, and not seeing
the goats departing, she was left behind. As she was
going after them, a panther saw her, and thinking to
eat her stood by the door of the enclosure. She looked
all round, and saw the panther. " He is there because he
wishes to kill and eat me," she thought; "if I turn and
run, my life is lost ; I must play the man," and so she
tossed her horns, and sprang straight at him with all her
might. She escaped his grip, though he was quivering
with the thought of catching her: then running at full
speed she came up with the other goats. The Elder
observed how all the animals had behaved: next day
he went and told the Buddha, "So, lord, this she-goat
performed a feat by her readiness in device, and escaped
from the panther." The Master answered, "Moggallana,
the panther failed to catch her this time, but once before
he killed her though she cried out, and ate her." Then at
Moggallana's request, he told an old tale.

Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was born in a certain
village of the Magadha kingdom, in a wealthy family.
When he grew up, he renounced desires and adopted
the religious life, reaching the perfection of meditation.

After dwelling long in the Himalaya, he came to Rajagaha
for salt and vinegar, and dwelt in a hut of leaves which he
made in a mountain enclosure. Just as in the intro-
ductory story, the goatherds drove their goats thither:
and in the same way, one day as a single she-goat was
going out later than the rest, a panther waited by the
door, thinking to eat her. When she saw him, she thought,
"My life is forfeit: by some means I must get him into
pleasant and kindly talk, and so soften his heart and save
my life." Beginning a friendly talk with him from some
distance, she approached and spoke the first stanza :

How fares it with you, uncle ? and is it well with you ?

My mother sends her kind regards : and I'm your friend so true.

Hearing her, the panther thought, "This baggage
would beguile me by calling me ' uncle ' : she does not
know how hard I am"; and so he spoke the second
stanza :

You've trod upon my tail, miss goat, and done me injury:
And think you by saying ' Uncle ' that you can go scot-free ?

When she heard him, she said, " O uncle, don't talk in
that way," and spoke the third stanza :

I faced you as I came, good Sir, you face me as you sit:
Your tail is all behind you: how could I tread on it?

He answered, "AYhat do you say, she-goat? is there
any place where my tail might not be ? " and so he spoke
the fourth stanza :

As far as four great continents with seas and mountains spread,
My tail extends : how could you fail on such a tail to tread ?

The she-goat, when she heard this, thought, "This
wicked one is not attracted by soft words : I will answer
him as an enemy," and so she spoke the fifth stanza :

Your villain's tail is long, I know, for I had warning fair:
Parents and brothers told me so: but I flew through the air.

Then he said, " I know you came through the air : but
as you came, you spoilt my food by your way of coming,"
and so he spoke the sixth stanza :

The sight of you, miss goat, on high, the air a-flying through,
Frightened a herd of deer: and so my food was spoilt by you.

Hearing this, the goat in fear of death could bring no
other excuse, but cried out, " Uncle, do not commit such
cruelty; spare my life." But though she cried out, the
other seized her by the shoulder, killed her and ate her.

The ascetic saw the whole matter of the two animals.