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XIV.

THE BRAHMAN, THE TIGER, AND THE SIX JUDGES.

NCE upon a time a Brahman, who was walking along the road, came upon an iron cage, in which a great Tiger had been shut up by the villagers who caught him. As the Brahman passed by, the Tiger called out and said to him, 'Brother Brahman, brother Brahman, have pity on me, and let me out of this cage for one minute only, to drink a little water, for I am dying of thirst.' The Brahman answered, 'No, I will not; for if I let you out of the cage you will eat me.'

'O father of mercy,' answered the Tiger, 'in truth that will I not. I will never be so ungrateful; only let me out, that I may drink some water and return.' Then the Brahman took pity on him, and opened the cage-door; but no sooner had he done so than the Tiger, jumping out, said, 'Now, I will eat you first, and drink the water afterwards.' But the Brahman said, 'Only do not kill me hastily. Let us first ask the opinion of six, and if all of them say it is just and fair that you should put me to death, then I am willing to die.' 'Very well,' answered the Tiger, 'it shall be as you say; we will first ask the opinion of six.' So the Brahman and the Tiger walked on till they came to a 135