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 220 hunger commit? Men, lean with want, are without pity. Dear friend, say to Priyadarsana that Gangadatta will not return to the Well."

(Panchatantra. Vol. IV. Chapter 2.)

THE LIONESS, THE WHELPS AND THE LITTLE JACKAL

N a certain part of a forest there dwelt a pair of Lions. One day the Lioness had two Whelps. After this the Lion spent all his time hunting other animals and bringing them to the Lioness for food. But a day came on which he caught nothing. While he was still roaming hither and thither through the forest, the sun set. On his way home, empty-handed, he found and caught a little Jackal. Seeing how very young it was, he did not kill it, but took it carefully between his teeth and brought it home alive to his mate. When he arrived home the Lioness said, "Dear Husband, have you brought us something to eat?"

"My dear," replied the Lion, "excepting for this little Jackal, I have not found a single animal all day, and considering how young it is, I could not bear to kill it, especially as it is one of our near relations. However, eat him yourself, for you need the food. Tomorrow I may have better luck."

"My dear," said the Lioness, "you remembered how young the Jackal is and would not eat him, how do you expect me to kill him to satisfy my own appetite? I cannot do that; instead, I shall adopt him as my third son." Thus saying, she adopted the little Jackal, and nursed him along with her own two Whelps. Thus the three little animals, mutually ignorant of the difference of their breed,