he air to take
him to the hills. But he, being unable to hold his tongue when he hears
any one else talk, must have wanted to say something, and let go the
stick; and so must have fallen down from the sky, and thus lost his
life." And saying, "Truly, O king! those who are called
chatter-boxes--people whose words have no end--come to grief like this,"
he uttered these verses:

"Verily the tortoise killed himself
While uttering his voice;
Though he was holding tight the stick,
By a word himself he slew.

"Behold him then, O excellent by strength!
And speak wise words, not out of season.
You see how, by his talking overmuch,
The tortoise fell into this wretched plight!"

The king saw that he was himself referred to, and said, "O Teacher! are
you speaking of us?"

And the Bodisat spake openly, and said, "O great king! be it thou, or be
it any other, whoever talks beyond measure meets with some mishap like
this."

And the king henceforth refrained himself, and became a man of few
words.

239

The following is, also, an oriental story. It
is taken from the _Hitopadesa_ (Book of Good
Counsel), a collection of Sanskrit fables. This
collection was compiled from older sources,
probably in the main from the _Panchatantra_
(Five Books), which belonged to about the fifth
century. Observe the emphasis placed upon the
teaching of the fable by putting the statement
of it at the beginning and recurring to it at
the close.

A LION TRICKED BY A RABBIT

_He who hath sense hath strength. Where hath he strength who wanteth
judgment? See how a lion, when intoxicated with anger, was overcome by a
rabbit._

Upon the mountain Mandara there lived a lion, whose name was Durganta
(hard to go near), who was very exact in complying with the ordinance
for animal sacrifices. So at length all the different species assembled,
and in a body represented that, as by his present mode of proceeding the
forest would be cleared all at once, if it pleased his Highness, they
would each of them in his turn provide him an animal for his daily food.
And the lion gave his consent accordingly. Thus every beast delivered
his stipulated provision, till at length, it coming to the rabbit's
turn, he began to meditate in this manner: "Policy should be practiced
by him who would save his life; and I my