said, "If there be any use there for ferreting, stealing, and keeping concealed, I am bail for it." The monkey said, “If there be any need there of dancing, jumping, and mimicry, I am the one for it." The cat said, "If there be any need there of flattery, fawning, and begging, I will provide for it." The dog said, "If there be any need there of watching, barking, and tail-wagging, I am the one for it." The rat said, “If there be need there of burning, kindling, and damaging, I am ready for it."

The king said, "There is no one there for these requirements." Afterwards turning towards the leopard, he said, "All these qualifications which these animals have mentioned are necessary for the armies of the kings and nobles of men ; and they indeed are fit for these matters, because although in outward appearance their shapes and figures are like unto those of the angels, still their dispositions are like unto those of wild beasts and brutes; but of such of them as are learned theologians, and discreet, the morals and virtues are like those of the angels. Who, then, is the one to send that he may go there and contend on the side of the animals?"

The leopard said, "It is true; but now the learned and the theologians among men, having cast off this course which they call angelic morality,' have adopted devilish dispositions. Night and day they continue in strife and contention, and in slandering and maligning each other. In the same way rulers and kings also having turned aside from the practice of justice and equity, have chosen the way of tyranny and oppression." The king said, “You speak truly; still it is necessary that the king's messenger should be virtuous and noble; from his duty he should not deviate. Then who is the one whom we ought to send, in whom all the qualifications of a messenger may be found? Is there any one in this assembly who may be worthy to go there?"

D

CHAPTER XI.

Delineation of a Messenger.

THE leopard inquired of the lion what sort of qualifications are requisite in a messenger ? The king said, "It is necessary that a messenger should be a wise man and a good speaker. He should forget nothing that he hears, but retain it carefully in memory. He should not tell the secret of his heart to any one. The duties of his trust and covenant he should fulfil as they ought to be fulfilled. He should not be a great talker, nor upon any matter should he go too far for his own side. What has been told him, that alone should he speak. He should strive and exhibit devotion for whatever may turn to the welfare of his principal. 2 If the opposite side should offer him any bribe, 3 he should not be such a person that, from desire for it, he should waver from the course of trustworthiness and righteousness, and fall headlong into the pit of treachery and perdition. If in a strange city he should in any way find gratification, he should not remain there for the sake of it, but he should return (home) quickly, and communicate to his lord whatever he may have seen or heard. He should render to his master whatever the responsibilities of counsel-giving and trustiness require. He should not for fear of anything

2 Lit." sender."

1 The writer here forgets his apologue. 3 This signification of tama and tama dena is not in the dictionaries.

fail a jot in the duties of a messenger, because it is incumbent upon a messenger to deliver all his message."

After this he said to the leopard, "In your opinion is there any one in this assemblage who may possess ability for this business?" The leopard said, "There is no one better fitted for this work than the brother of Kalíla and Damna.”1 The lion said to the jackal, "You have heard what the leopard has declared in respect of you, what do you say to it?" The jackal said, "The leopard speaks the truth; may God give him a good reward, and bring him to the object of his hopes." The king said, "If you go there and contend on the side of your fellows, when you return you shall be advanced in dignity and shall receive reward." The jackal said, "I am the obedient servant of the king, still there are many foes of my species there-what plan can I devise against this?" The king inquired who they were. The jackal said, "Dogs have an inveterate animosity against me. Is not the king aware that they are very friendly and familiar with men, and assist them in catching wild beasts?"

The king said, "What is the reason that they have become so attached to men, and make attacks upon wild beasts? Why, having left their own fellows, have they become the coadjutors of a different species?" No one knew anything about this matter except the bear, and he said, "I know the reason of this." The king directed him to state it. The bear said, "The dogs have struck up a friendship with men in consequence of a similarity of disposition and affinity of taste, and besides this, they get many nice things to eat and drink there. And in their natures there is greediness and avarice and evil inclinations, like as in men—this is a stronger reason for their intimacy. And the wild beasts abstain from these vices. The reason of this is, that dogs eat flesh, raw and cooked, lawful and unlawful, fresh or dried, salted or un1 Kalila and Damna were two crafty jackals celebrated in story.

salted, good or bad, just as they get it, and besides they devour fruits, vegetables, bread, pulse, milk, curds, sour or sweet butter, oil, honey, sweetmeats, parched grain, and all the various sorts of human food-they leave nothing. But the wild beasts do not eat these things, or rather, they do not even notice them. And the greediness and avarice of dogs reach to such a pitch that it is impossible for them to allow any animal to enter a village, so that he may come and get something to eat. If ever a fox or jackal enter a village suddenly at night to steal a fowl, or rat, or cat, or a carcase of carrion, or a morsel of bread, with what violence do the dogs bark, and attacking (the intruder), at length drive him away. Through this avidity and greed how abject and vile they are! If they see a piece of bread or anything else to eat in the hand of any man, woman, or child, with what avidity do they wag their tails and shake their heads! If he in pity throws down a little morsel before them, how quickly do they run and pick it up, so that no other may get it! All these vices are found also in man, and in consequence of this affinity, the dogs have quitted their own fellows, and have gone and joined themselves to men, and render them help and aid in catching wild animals.”

The king said, “Is there any other beast besides the dog who has formed a connection and friendship with man?" The bear said, "The cat is also very friendly with them." The king asked, "What is the reason of that connexion?" The bear said, "For this also there is this one same reason, that the dispositions of them and of men are conformable. The cat also, like men, has a desire and longing for food of various sorts.” The king asked, “What is the cat's position with men?" The bear said, "She is somewhat better off than the dog, because she goes into their houses and sleeps upon carpets; and when they dine she sits upon the dinnercloth. Whatsoever they eat themselves they give unto her also;

and whenever she gets a chance she steals some of their food and drink. But they do not allow the dogs to get an entrance into their houses; consequently envy and malice prevail between the dog and cat. Whenever the dogs see her they spring from their place, and so attack her, that if they catch her they tear her in pieces and eat her up. The cat also, whenever she sees a dog, scratches his face and tears his tail and hair, and with great rage and fury she swells and puffs herself out. This is the reason why she is their enemy."

The lion inquired if there was any other animal besides these two who was also familiar with men. The bear said, "Rats also go into their houses and shops, but there is no intimacy1 between them, on the contrary they are afraid of them and run away." The king asked what was the reason of their going (to men's dwellings). The bear said, "They also go there from a liking of various kinds of food and drink." The king then asked if there was yet any other animal who went there, and the bear said, “Weasels also sometimes go there stealthily and secretly for the purpose of thieving and carrying off something." Again the king inquired, Is there any other animal besides these who goes into their houses?" The bear said, "No other one goes; but the men violently seize leopards and monkeys and take them there, but these do not go there willingly."

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The king asked from what period cats and dogs had been friendly with men, and the bear replied, "Since the days when the descendants of Cain prevailed over those of Abel.” The king said, "How did this matter happen? narrate it." The bear said, "At the time when Cain murdered his brother, whose name was Abel, the children of Abel sought retaliation upon the children of Cain, and warred with them. At length the children of Cain proved victorious. Having

1Unsiyat—familiarity, intimacy.