Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/70

62 The brâhman drew near to the king, saying, "O king, fear not! Let it be my task to wage war with the jackal, Sabbadâtha, for no one else but me is capable of warring against him!" and thus he relieved the fears of both the king and citizens.

Then he ascended the watch-towers over the gates for the purpose of ascertaining what means Sabbadâtha would use to take possession of the kingdom, and cried out: "O, Sabbadâtha, what will you do in order to take this kingdom?"

"I will cause a lion's roar to be uttered, and, having terrified the multitude with the sound, I will take possession of the city."

When the Bodhisat had ascertained the means to be employed, he came down from the tower and gave orders, by beat of drum, that all the dwellers in the city of Benares within an entire circuit of twelve yojanas should plaster up the orifices of their ears with bean-meal. The populace, as soon as they heard the edict that had been proclaimed, having got hold even of the cats, plastered up both their own ear-orifices and also those of all the (domestic) quadrupeds with bean-meal, so that it was not possible, indeed, for them to hear a sound made by another.

Then the Bodhisat again ascended the watch-tower, and cried out, "Sabbadâtha!"

"Well, what is it, brâhman?" he replied.

"What is it you are going to do in order to take possession of this kingdom?" he asked.

"I'll frighten the multitude by causing a lion's roar to be uttered, and, having destroyed the lives of all, I'll take the kingdom."

"You are not able," said the brahman, "to cause a lion's roar to be uttered, for maned-lion-kings of noble birth will not obey an old jackal like you."

The jackal, obstinate and proud, replied: "Never mind the other lions; I'll e'en cause the lion, on whose back I am sitting, to utter a loud roar."

"Well, then, do so if you are able!"

Striking with his foot the lion on whose back he was sitting, the jackal bade him roar.