'Then,' exclaimed the Bull, 'it is too bad: and in Ministers too!-- 'Narrow-necked to let out little, big of belly to keep much, As a flagon is--the Vizir of a Sultan should be such.' 'No wealth will stand such waste, your Majesty-- 'He who thinks a minute little, like a fool misuses more; He who counts a cowry nothing, being wealthy, will be poor.' 'A king's treasury, my liege, is the king's life.' 'Good brother,' observed Stiff-ears, who had heard what the Bull said, 'these Jackals are your Ministers of Home and Foreign Affairs--they should not have direction of the Treasury. They are old servants, too, and you know the saying-- 'Brahmans, soldiers, these and kinsmen--of the three set none in charge: For the Brahman, tho' you rack him, yields no treasure small or large; And the soldier, being trusted, writes his quittance with his sword, And the kinsman cheats his kindred by the charter of the word; But a servant old in service, worse than any one is thought, Who, by long-tried license fearless, knows his master's anger nought.' Ministers, my royal brother, are often like obstinate swellings that want squeezing, and yours must be kept in order.' 'They are not particularly obedient, I confess,' said Tawny-hide. 'It is very wrong,' replied Stiff-ears; 'and if you will be advised by me--as we have banqueted enough to-day--you will appoint this grain-eating and sagacious Bull your Superintendent of Stores.' 'It shall be so,' exclaimed the King. 'Lusty-life was accordingly appointed to serve out the provisions, and for many days Tawny-hide showed him favor beyond all others in the Court. "Now the Jackals soon found that food was no longer so freely provided by this arrangement as before, and they met to consult about it. 'It is all our own fault,' said Damanaka, 'and people must suffer for their own mistakes. You know who said-- "I that could not leave alone 'Streak-o'-Gold,' must therefore moan. She that took the House-wife's place Lost the nose from off her face. Take this lesson to thy heart-- Fools for folly suffer smart." 'No!' said Karataka, 'how was it?' Damanaka related:-- THE STORY OF THE PRINCE AND THE PROCURESS "In the city of 'Golden-Streets' there reigned a valorous King, named Vira-vikrama, whose officer of justice was one day taking away to punishment a certain Barber, when he was stopped by a strolling mendicant, who held him by the skirts, and cried out, 'Punish not this man--punish them that do wrong of their own knowledge.' Being asked his meaning, he recited the foregoing verses, and, being still further questioned, he told this story--