Page:Henry Mulford Tichenor - The Buddhist Philosophy of Life.djvu/48

 46 me into a lake, it would be splendid; but if he does not, I will cut his throat." So he said to the crane:

"Thou wilt not be able to hold me tight enough; but we lobsters have a strong grip. If thou wilt let me take hold of thee around the neck with my claws, I will go with thee."

The crane, not realizing that the lobster was trying to outwit him, agreed to this; so the lobster took hold of his neck with his powerful claws, and thus the pair started towards the lake.

The crane showed him the lake, and then turned towards the varana-tree.

"My dear uncle," cried the lobster, "the lake lies that way, but thou art taking me another way!"

And the crane answered: "Thinkest thou so? Am I thy dear uncle? Thou meanest, I suppose, that I am thy slave, to carry thee where thou pleasest! Cast thine eye upon that heap of fish bones at the root of yonder varana-tree. As I have eaten those fish, so will I also devour thee!"

"Those fishes," replied the lobster, "got eaten through their own stupidity; but I am not going to let thee kill me. On the contrary, I shall kill thee. For thou, in thy greed, hast not seen that I have outwitted thee. If we die, we both die together; for I will cut off thine head with my claws!" Saying this the lobster gave the crane's neck a sharp pinch.

Gasping for breath and trembling with fear, the crane then besought the lobster, crying: