Page:Henry Mulford Tichenor - The Buddhist Philosophy of Life.djvu/47

 Rh is now very little water, and very little food in this pond. What will you do should the pond become entirely dry?"

And the fishes replied: "What, indeed, should we do?"

Then the crane said: "I know of a large lake, which never goes dry. Would you not like to have me carry you there in my beak?"

But the fishes, knowing the habits of the crane, distrusted his honesty; until at last a large carp decided, for the sake of the others, to take the risk. The crane then carried him to a beautiful lake, and brought him back in safety. At this the other fishes gained confidence in the crane; and so he took them one by one in his beak, and devoured them on a big varana-tree.

Now there was also a lobster in the pond, which the crane had not taken; and when the fishes were all gone, the crane said to him: "I have taken all the fishes away and put them in a large lake. Come, and I will also take thee."

"But I am heavy," replied the lobster. "How wilt thou carry me?

"I shall take hold of thee with my beak," answered the crane.

"Thou wilt let me fall," said the lobster. "I will not go with thee."

"Thou needst not fear," said the crane. "I will hold thee tight all the way."

Then said the lobster to himself: "If this crane gets hold of a fish, he will never put him into a lake. Now if he should really put