“And after the tiger had left the spot, the mouse came. And seeing the
mouse come, the jackal addressed him and said, ‘Blest be thou, O mouse,
but listen to what the mongoose hath said. He hath even said, The carcass
of this deer is poison (the tiger having touched it with his claws). I
will not eat of it. On the other hand, if thou, O jackal, permittest it,
I will even slay the mouse and feast on him.’ Hearing this the mouse
became alarmed and quickly entered his hole. And after the mouse had
gone, the wolf, O king, came there having performed his ablutions. And
seeing the wolf come, the jackal said unto him, ‘The king of the beasts
hath been angry with thee. Evil is certain to overtake thee. He is
expected here with his wife. Do as thou pleasest.’ Thus was the wolf
also, fond of animal flesh, got rid of by the jackal. And the wolf fled,
contracting his body into the smallest dimensions. It was then that the
mongoose came. And, O king, the jackal, seeing him come, said, ‘By the
might of my arm have I defeated the others who have already fled. Fight
with me first and then eat of this flesh as you please.’ The mongoose
replied, ‘When, indeed, the tiger, the wolf, and the intelligent mouse
have all been defeated by thee, heroes as they are, thou seemest to be a
greater hero still. I do not desire to fight with thee.’ Saying this, the
mongoose also went away.
“Kanika continued, ‘When they all had thus left the place, the jackal,
well-pleased with the success of his policy, alone ate up that flesh. If
kings always act in this way, they can be happy. Thus should the timid by
exciting their fears, the courageous by the arts of conciliation, the
covetous by gift of wealth, and equals and inferiors by exhibition of
prowess be brought under thy sway. Besides all this, O king, that I have
said, listen now to something else that I say.’