Rash action

The Donkey Song

There was a donkey who lived in a village. He worked hard, carrying clothes and other loads for his master. At night, when there was no work, he trespassed into fields outside the village and grazed. He would come back home only at dawn. He was lucky to not have been caught until now.

One day, the donkey met a jackal in a field and they became good friends. Every night, they would go together to the cucumber fields and eat delicious, tender cucumbers. One day, the donkey was in a very happy mood.

'My friend,' he said, 'look at the quiet and beau- tiful night. It makes me want to sing.'

'Friend, why do you want to invite trouble? We have come here to eat cucumbers and we thieves must be silent. Anyone who has a cough or is sleepy or cannot resist singing should not be a thief' said the concerned jackal. 'Your voice is not melodious and sounds like a loud, ill-toned trumpet from afar. The watchmen are bound to wake up and they will either catch us or kill us. So, please ignore your thoughts of singing and quietly eat these sweet cucumbers.

"You are being silly,' said the donkey. "You live in the wild. That is why you cannot enjoy music. It is only the very lucky people who are destined to listen to music by moonlight.'

"True,' the jackal replied. 'But you only bray and that is not music. So, please forget your foolish idea.

"You are a fool if you say I do not know about music. Sage Bharata was the author of Indian music. He wrote what is regarded as the "fifth Veda", with hundred and eighty-five notational patterns in it. Nothing is dearer than music to the gods...

'You can sing but, friend,' said the jackal, 'let me first get out of here. I will keep watch and tell you if anyone is coming here. Till then, sing to your heart's content.

The jackal then left the scene quickly. The moment the donkey began to sing, a watchman woke up. He went outside, struck the donkey with a stick till he fell down. The watchman then hung an old, heavy millstone around the donkey's neck. The donkey recovered from the watchman's blows. He somehow managed to drag himself out, with the millstone still around its neck.

You did not listen to my advice," said the jackal, seeing his state. 'Now you have a millstone around your neck, besides the beating you got. No more free food for you!"

Friend, you too, did not listen to me,' said the third Brahmin. His unfortunate friend agreed with him. What you say is true. A witless person and one who does not heed the advice of friends perishes like the weaver.

As the third Brahmin showed interest in this story too, the fourth Brahmin related the story of the weaver.