I salute you, elephant of sixty years, Forest-ranger, glorious leader of a herd; With my wings I do you homage. I am weak: do not kill my little ones. Said the Great Being: “Do not worry, tiny quail; I will protect your little ones.” And he stood over the fledglings, and the eighty thousand elephants passed by. Then he addressed the tiny quail: “Behind us comes a single solitary elephant; he will not obey our command. If you ask him also when he comes, you may obtain safety for your little ones.” So saying, he went his way. The tiny quail went forth to meet the solitary elephant, did homage to him with her wings, and uttered the second stanza: I salute you, solitary elephant, Forest-ranger, pasturing on mountain and on hill; With my wings I do you homage. I am weak: do not kill my little ones. The solitary elephant, hearing her words, uttered the third stanza: I will kill your little ones, tiny quail. What can you do to me? You are a weakling. Even a hundred thousand like you Could I crush with my left foot. So saying, he pulverized her little ones with his foot, and went his way trumpeting. The tiny quail perched on the branch of a tree and thought: “Just now you go your way trumpeting. In only a few days you will see what I can do! You do not understand that the mind is stronger than the body. Ah, but I will make you understand!” And threatening him, she uttered the fourth stanza: For not alway does strength avail; For strength is the destruction of a fool. Elephant-king, I will do you harm, You who killed my little ones since I was weak. Thus spoke the tiny quail. For a few days she ministered to a crow. The crow was pleased and said: “What can I do for you?” Said the tiny quail: “Master, there is only one thing I want done. I expect you to peck out the eyes of that solitary elephant.” “Very well,” assented the crow. The tiny quail then ministered to a green fly. The fly also said, “What can I do for you?” Said the tiny quail: “When this crow has put out the eyes of the solitary elephant, I wish you would drop a nit on them.” “Very well,” assented the fly also. The tiny quail then ministered to a frog. Said the frog: “What can I do?” Said the tiny quail: “When this solitary elephant has gone blind and seeks water to drink, then please squat on the mountain-top and croak; and when he has climbed to the top of the mountain, then please hop down and croak at the bottom. This is all I expect of you.” The frog also, hearing her words, assented, saying, “Very well.”