The Wise Goat and The Jackal

Once upon a time in the reign of Brahmadatta, king
of Benares, many hundreds of wild goats dwelt in a
mountain-cave in a wooded district on the slopes of the
Himalayas. Not far from their place of abode a jackal
named Putimamsa with his wife Yen! lived in a cave.

One day as he was ranging about with his wife, he spied
those goats and thought, "I must find some means to
eat the flesh of these goats,'' and by some device he killed
a single goat. Both he and his wife by feeding on goat's
flesh waxed strong and gross of body. Gradually the
goats were destroyed. Amongst them was a wise she-goat
named Melamata. The jackal though skilful in devices
could not kill her, and taking counsel with his wife he
said, "My dear, all the goats have died out. We must
devise how to eat this she-goat. Now here is my plan.
You are to go by yourself, and become friendly with her,
and when confidence has sprung up between you, I will
lie down and pretend to be dead. Then you are to draw
nigh to the goat and say, ' My dear, my husband is dead
and I am desolate ; except you I have no relative : come,
let us weep and lament, and bury his body.' And with
these words come and bring her with you. Then I will
spring up and kill her by a bite in the neck." She readily
agreed and after making friends with the goat, when con-
fidence was established, she addressed her in the words
suggested by her husband. The goat replied, " My dear,
all my kinsfolk have been eaten by your husband.
I am afraid; I cannot come." "Do not be afraid; what
harm can the dead do you?" "Your husband is cruelly-
minded; I am afraid." But afterwards being repeatedly
importuned the goat thought, "He certainly must be
dead," and consented to go with her. But on her way
there she thought, "Who knows what will happen?"
and being suspicious she made the she-jackal go in front,
keeping a sharp look-out for the jackal. He heard the
sound of their steps and thought, " Here comes the goat,"
and put up his head and rolling his eyes looked about
him. The goat on seeing him do this said, " This wicked
wretch wants to take me in and kill me: he lies there
making a pretence of being dead," and she turned about
and fled. When the she-jackal asked why she ran away,
the goat gave the reason and spoke the first stanza :

Why thus does Putiniamsa stare?

His look misliketh me:
Of such a friend one should beware,

And far away should flee.

With these words she turned about and made straight
for her own abode. And the she-jackal failing to stop her
was enraged with her, and went to her husband and sat
down lamenting. Then the jackal rebuking her spoke
the second stanza :

Yen!, my wife, has lost her wit,
She boasts of friends that she has made;

Left in the lurch she can but sit
And grieve, by Mela's art betrayed.

On hearing this the she-jackal spoke the third stanza :

You too, my lord, were hardly wise,
And, witless creature, raised your head,

Staring 1 about with open eyes,
Though feigning to be dead.

But the she-jackal comforted Putimamsa and said,
" My lord, do not vex yourself, I will find a way to bring
her here again, and when she comes, be on your guard
and catch her." Then .she sought the goat and said,
" My friend, your coming proved of service to us ; for as
soon as you appeared, my lord recovered consciousness,
and he is now alive. Come and have friendly speech with
him," and so saying she spoke the fifth 1 stanza:

Our former friendship, goat, once more revive,
And come with well-lilled bowl to us, I pray,

My lord I took for dead is still alive,
With kindly greeting visit him to-day.

The goat thought, "This wicked wretch wants to take
me in. I must not act like an open foe ; I will find means
to deceive her," and she spoke the sixth stanza :

Our former friendship to revive,
A well-filled bowl I gladly give:
With a big escort I shall come;
To feast us well, go hasten home.

Then the she-jackal enquired about her followers, and
spoke the seventh stanza :

What kind of escort will you bring,
That I am bid to feast you well?

The names of all remembering
To us, I pray you, truly tell.

The goat spoke the eighth stanza and said:

1 A stanza not belonging to the Story of the Past is omitted.

Hounds 1 Grey and Tan, and Four-eyed too,
With Janibuk form my escort true:
GrO hurry home, and quick prepare:
For all abundance of good fare.

" Each of these," she added, " is accompanied by five
hundred dogs: so I shall appear with a guard of two
thousand dogs. If they should not find food, they will
kill and eat you and your mate." On hearing this the
she-jackal was so frightened that she thought, " I have had
quite enough of her coining to us ; I will find means to
stop her from coming," and she spoke the ninth stanza:

Don't leave your house, or else I fear
Your goods will all soon disappear:
I'll take your greeting to my lord;
Don't stir: nay, not another word!

With these words she ran in great haste, as for her life,
and taking her lord with her, fled away. And they never
durst come back to that spot.