Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/345

 FOLK-TALES OF INDIA. 337

said, « I'll go in search of food"; so he departed, and made his way to the bank of the Ganges. At that time a certain fisherman had hooked seven red fish (i-ohitas), and when he had landed them he strung them through with a flexible twig (withe). Then he concealed them in the sand on the river-bank. Intent on catching fish, he wandered along the course of the lower Ganges (leaving his fish behind). The otter, getting scent of his prey, scratched up the sand, saw and took posses- sion of the fish. Thrice he shouted out, — " Now does any one, I pray, lay claim to these fish ? " Finding no owner for them he, with his teeth, laid hold of the withe, by which the fish were strung, and deposited them in his own jungle-retreat. " On a convenient oppor- tunity I'll eat them." Thus saying, he lay down pondering over his precepts.

The jackal, too, leaving his retreat in search of food, espied in a hut, belonging to the care-taker of an adjoining field, two spits,* a lizard, and a pot of curds. Thrice he shouted out, — " Is there now, I pray, any owner of these goods ? " Not finding any one who claimed them, he hung the pot about his neck (by means of the string for lifting it up) ; between his teeth he carried the spits and the lizard, and placed them in the jungle where he slept, saying, " I'll eat them at the proper time." Then he lay down and throught over his com- mandments.

The monkey also left his sleeping quarters to go into the wood in search of food. He carried off from thence bunches of mangoes, and placed them in his own abode in the forest, saying, " I'll eat them at the proper time." He then lay down thinking over his precepts.

Just about that time also the hare left his quarters in search of his food, saying " I'll eat kusa grass." But while he was even lying in retreat he thought to himself, " I can't give grass to those that come begging, so I'll give them the flesh of my own body.

By the power of his (the hare's) morality the white stone throne of Indra manifested signs of heat. On considering the matter he dis- covered the cause, and said, " I'll put the hare-king to the proof."

First he went to the abode of the otter and stood before him, dis-


 * The spits were for roasting the lizard.

Vol. 2.— Part 11. z