FablesPanchatantra

Smart, the Jackal

[su_dropcap style=”flat” size=”4″]In[/su_dropcap] a part of a forest lived a lion named Thunder-Fang, in company with three counsellors, a wolf, a jackal, and a camel, whose names were Meat-Face, Smart, and Spike-Ear. One day he fought with a furious elephant whose sharp-pointed tusk so tore his body that he withdrew from the world.

Then, suffering from a seven-day fast, his body lean with hunger, he said to his famished advisers: “Round up some creature in the forest, so that, even in my present condition, I may provide needed nourishment for you.” The moment he issued his orders, they roamed the wood, but found nothing.

Thereupon Smart reflected: “If Spike-Ear here were killed, then we should all be nourished for a few days. However, the master is kept from killing him by friendly feeling. In spite of that, my wit will put the master in a frame of mind to kill him.”

After these reflections, he said to Spike-Ear: “Friend Spike-Ear, the master lacks wholesome food,  and is starving. If the master goes, our death is also a certain thing. So I have a suggestion for your benefit and the master’s. Please pay attention.”

“My good fellow,” said Spike-Ear, “make haste to inform me, so that I may unhesitatingly do as you say. Besides, one earns credit for a hundred good deeds by

Smart said: “My good fellow, give your own body at 100 percent interest, so that you may receive a double body, and the master may prolong his life.”

On hearing this proposal, Spike-Ear said: “If that is possible, my friend, my body shall be so devoted. Tell the master that this thing should be done. I stipulate only that the Death-God be requested to guarantee the bargain.”

Having made their decision, they all went to visit the lion, and Smart said: “O King, we did not find a thing today, and the blessèd sun is already near his setting.”

On hearing this, the lion fell into deep despondency. Then Smart continued: “O King, our friend Spike-Ear makes this proposal: ‘If you call upon the Death-God to guarantee the bargain, and if you render it back with 100 percent of interest, then I will give my body.”

“My good fellow,” answered the lion, “yours is a beautiful act. Let it be as you say.”

On the basis of this pact, Spike-Ear was struck down by the lion’s paw, his body was torn by the wolf and the jackal, and he died.

Then Smart reflected: “How can I get him all to myself to eat?” With this thought in his mind, he noticed that the lion’s body was smeared with blood, and he said: “Master, you must go to the river to bathe and worship the gods, while I stay here with Meat-Face to guard the food-supply.”

On hearing this, the lion went to the river. When the lion was gone, Smart said to Meat-Face: “Friend Meat-Face, you are starving. You might eat some of this camel before the old master returns. I will make your apologies to the master.”

So Meat-Face took the hint, but had only taken a taste when Smart cried: “Drop it, Meat-Face. The master is coming.”

Presently the lion returned, saw that the camel was minus a heart, and wrathfully roared: “Look here! Who turned this camel into leavings? I wish to kill him, too.”

Then Meat-Face peered into Smart’s visage, as much as to say: “Come, now! Say something, so that he may calm down.”

But Smart laughed and said: “Come, come! You ate the camel’s heart all by yourself. Why do you look at me?”

And Meat-Face, hearing this, fled for his life, making for another country. But when the lion had pursued him a short distance, he turned back, thinking: “He, too, is unguipugnacious. I must not kill him.”

At this moment, as fate would have it, there came that way a great camel caravan, heavily laden, making a tremendous jingling with the bells tied to the camels’ necks. And when the lion heard the jingle of the bells, loud even in the distance, he said to the jackal: “My good fellow, find out what this horrible noise may be.”

On receiving this commission, Smart advanced a little in the forest, then darted back, and cried in great excitement: “Run, master! Run, if you can run!”

“My good fellow,” said the lion, “why terrify me so? Tell me what it is.”

And Smart cried: “Master, the Death-God is coming, and he is in a rage against you because you brought untimely death upon his camel, and had him guarantee the bargain. He intends to make you pay a thousand fold for his camel. He has immense pride in his camels. He also plans to make inquiries about the father and grandfathers of that one. He is coming. He is near at hand.”

When the lion heard this, he, too, abandoned the dead camel and scampered for dear life. Whereupon Smart ate the camel bit by bit, so that the meat lasted a long time.

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