Page:Panchatantra.djvu/137

128 The stupid king-swan pecks by night At starshine, in the water bright, Believing it a lotus white;

Then, fearing stars when shines the sun, Avoids the lotus. Everyone Who dreads a trap, will blessings shun. Alas! What wrong have I done our master Rusty?"

"Comrade," said Victor, "kings love to injure without reason, and they seek out the vulnerable spot in an adversary." "True, too true," said Lively. "There is wisdom in the verse:

"Yet, after all, the fault is mine, because I made advances to a false friend. As the story goes: