“‘Sire,’ replied the Hare, ‘I am not to blame. I was detained on the road by another lion, who exacted an oath from me to return when I should have informed your Majesty.’ “‘Go,’ exclaimed King Fierce-of-heart in a rage; ‘show me, instantly, where this insolent villain of a lion lives.’ “The Hare led the way accordingly till he came to a deep well, whereat he stopped, and said: ‘Let my lord, the King, come hither, and behold him.’ The Lion approached, and beheld his own reflection in the water of the well; upon which, in his passion, he directly flung himself, and so perished.” THE STORY OF THE BRAHMIN AND THE PANS. “There was a Brahmin in the city of Vana, whose name was Deva Sarman. At the equinoctial feast of the Dussera, he obtained for his duxina-gift a dish of flour, which he took into a potter’s shed, and there lay down in the shade among the pots, staff in hand. As he thus reclined he began to meditate. ‘I can sell this meal for ten cowry-shells, and with them I can purchase some of these pots, and sell them at an advance. With all that money I shall invest in betel-nuts and body-cloths, and make a new profit by their sale; and so go on trafficking till I get a lakh of rupees. What’s to prevent me? Then I shall marry four wives, and one at least will be beautiful and young, and she shall be my favorite. Of course, the others will be jealous; but if they quarrel, and talk, and trouble me, I will belabor them like this--and this--‘and therewith he flourished his staff, to such a purpose as to smash his meal-dish and break several of the potter’s jars. The potter, rushing out, took him by the throat, turned him off, and ended his speculations.” THE STORY OF THE RECLUSE AND THE MOUSE. “In the forest of the Sage Gautama there dwelt a recluse named Mighty-at-Prayer. Once, as he sat at his frugal meal, a young mouse dropped beside him from the beak of a crow, and he took it up and fed it tenderly with rice grains. Some time after the Saint observed a cat pursuing his dependant to devour it, whereupon he changed the mouse into a stout cat. The cat was a great deal harassed by dogs, upon which the Saint again transformed it into a dog. The dog was always in danger of the tigers, and his protector at last gave him the form of a tiger; considering him all this while, and treating him withal, like nothing but a mouse. The country-folks passing by would say, ‘That a tiger! not he: it is a mouse the Saint has transformed.’ And the mouse being vexed at this, reflected, ‘So long as the Master lives this shameful story of my origin will survive.’ With this thought he was about to take the Saint’s life, when he, who knew his purpose, turned the ungrateful beast by a word to his original shape.” CHAPTER XIV. JAPAN.