He places it all trouble of ours.

within our power, without any labour or But you always, till your dying breath, are involved in trouble about it. Your ancestors rebelled against God, and in requital thereof you are subjected to this trouble."

The King said to the jackal “Relate to us the facts about the beginning of the race of Adam." He replied, “When God created Adam and Eve he provided food and covering for them like as he did for the animals. Accordingly, those two were living in the East upon the Ruby mountains, under the equator. At the time He created them they were quite naked, but their entire bodies were covered with the hair of their heads, and by means of this same hair they were protected from the cold and heat. They used to stroll about in the garden and eat the fruit of all the trees; they underwent no kind of toil or labour like as these people are now forced to undergo. The divine command was, that they were to eat the fruit of all the garden, with the exception of one tree which they were not to approach. Through the beguiling of Satan they disregarded the direction of God. Then they lost all their superiority; the hair of their heads fell off, and they became quite naked. The angels, by divine command, expelled them from thence, in the way that the doctor of the Jins related the circumstances at length in a former chapter."

When the representative of the rapacious beasts had thus spoken, a man said, "O beasts, it is not fit and right for you to speak before us; it is better for you to be silent." The jackal asked for what reason? He said, "Because among the animals there is no one more wicked and vicious than you; no animal more hard-hearted, and none so greedy to devour carrion. You are good for nothing but to worry animals, and you are always bent upon their death and destruction." He asked, "How is this?" And the man replied,

"Because all rapacious beasts prey upon and devour animals; they crush their bones and drink their blood, and never take any compassion upon their condition."

The representative of the carnivorous beasts said, “If we do inflict this treatment on the animals, it is all through your instruction, for without that we knew nothing whatever about it. Before the time of Adam no rapacious beast preyed upon animals; when any animal died in the woods and wilds, they used to eat its flesh, but they did no injury to living beasts. So long as in any place they found flesh lying on the ground, they did not tear any animal; but in the time of want and extremity they were compelled to do so. When you were created, and you began to catch and confine goats, sheep, cows, oxen, camels, and asses, you did not allow any animal to remain in the jungle; then how was their flesh to be obtained in the jungle? Having no resource, we took to preying upon living animals; and this is lawful for us, just as it is allowable for you to eat carrion in time of extreme necessity. "When you say that the hearts of rapacious beasts are hard and merciless, we do not find any animal complaining of us like as they complain of you. And you say also, that carnivorous beasts tear open the bellies of animals, drink their blood, and eat their flesh; but you do just the same thing. You cut them with knives, slaughter them, flay them, rip open their bellies, crush their bones, roast them, and eat them --all these practices owe their origin to you. We do not do So. If you would consider and reflect, then you would understand that the tyranny of the rapacious beasts is not equal to your own, as the representative of the cattle has stated in the first chapter. You also pursue such a course towards each other, and towards your kindred, as the animals know nothing about.

"When you tell us that no good comes to any one from

But tell us what The injury is ap

us, this is clear, that benefit comes to all of you from our skins and fur. The birds of prey also who are in bonds with you, hunt their prey and feed you with it. advantage the animals derive from you. parent, for you slaughter them, and eat your stinginess towards us is such that you bury your dead in the earth, so that we cannot get to eat them.

their flesh. But

“You say, that the rapacious beasts kill and ravage animals; but the rapacious beasts having seen you do So, have adopted the usage. From the days of Cain and Abel to the present time, it continues to be seen how you are always engaged in war and strife. Thus, Rustam, Isfandiyár, Jamshíd, Zuhák, Farídún, Afrásiyáb, Minúchihr, Dárá, Iskandar, and others, were always occupied in massacre and slaughter, and in it passed away. Even now you are engaged in disturbance and rebellion; but for all this you boast without shame, abuse the rapacious beasts, and with fraud and false pretensions seek to establish your authority over them. Have you ever seen the animals engaged in war and strife, and seeking to injure each other like as you do? If you would inquire into the affairs of the wild animals with consideration and care, you would learn that they are far better than yourselves."

The ambassador of the men inquired if there was any proof of this, and he replied, "Those of you who are holy and devout quit your dominions, and go out into the mountains and jungles, where the wild beasts have their abode, and with them they keep up a warm acquaintance night and day, nor do the wild beasts tear them. Therefore, if the wild beasts were not better than you, then why should your holy and devout men resort to them? For pious and temperate people do not resort to the wicked, rather do they flee far from them. This is a proof that the wild beasts are better than you.

"Another proof is this: when your tyrannical kings have any doubt about the probity and purity of any man, they drive him out into the jungle. If the wild beasts do not tear him to pieces, they understand from that fact that he is righteous and devout; because every species recognises its own fellow, and the wild beasts knowing him to be righteous do not molest him. True it is 'One saint knows another.' Verily there are bad and vicious ones among the wild beasts, but why is this? are there not good and bad in every species? Even the beasts which are bad do not tear to pieces the good and righteous, but they devour the evil men. Thus God Almighty declares, 'I make tyrants to prevail over tyrants, that they may obtain the recompense of their sins.'"1

When the ambassador of the rapacious beasts finished this speech, a philosopher belonging to the company of Jins said, "He speaks the truth; those people who are good shun the bad and associate with the good, although these belong to a different species; and those who are bad flee from the good to go and associate with the wicked. If men were not evil and vicious, why should their devout and holy men go and dwell in the wilds and mountains, and there conceive affection for the wild beasts, notwithstanding that they belong to a distinct species. Between these and those there is no apparent similarity; still in good qualities they surely must be partners." All the congregation of Jins said, "He speaks the truththere is no doubt or uncertainty about it." The men on every side, when they heard this condemnation and censure, were greatly ashamed, and hung down their heads. Meanwhile evening came on, the court rose, and all taking leave, went to their own dwellings.

1 Kurán, Súrat, vi. v. 129.

IN

CHAPTER XXIII.

Disputation between Man and the Parrot.

N the morning all the men and animals attended the court of justice. The King told the men that if they had still any other proof of their claims to adduce, they were to state it. A Persian said, "There are many laudable qualities in us by which our claim is established." The King directed him to set them forth, and he said, "In our race there are kings, ministers, nobles, secretaries, financiers, revenue officers, magistrates, assistants, mace-bearers, servants, friends, allies, and many other classes besides these; rich men, gentlemen, humane men, scientific men, holy men, devotees, abstinent people, preachers, poets, learned men, virtuous men, judges, lawyers, súfís, grammarians, logicians, physicians, geometricians, astrologers, soothsayers, interpreters of dreams, alchemists, and magicians; men of trade, builders, weavers, cotton-carders, shoemakers, tailors, and other numerous classes. Of all these classes each one has its distinct morals and laudable qualities, and its distinct and approved institutes and arts. All these excellences and qualities are peculiar to us; the animals do not share in them. From this it is evident that we are the masters, and the animals our slaves."

When the man had ended his statement, the parrot said to the King, “This man is boasting about his many varieties. If he would consider the varieties of the birds, he would understand that, as opposed to these, the varieties of men