Loss Of friend

THE LION AND THE JACKAL

There was a lion who lived in a forest. He had two friends, a jackal and a wolf. Since they were the lion's friends, both the animals had a free run of the forest.

One day, the lion found a female camel separated from her caravan. She was at that moment about to give birth to her baby. The lion killed the camel and found a live baby camel inside her womb. The lion and his friends fed on the dead camel but spared the baby. The lion then adopted the baby.

'You are now my child,' said the lion to the baby camel. 'Nobody will harm you. You can roam freely

in the forest and enjoy yourself." As days passed, the baby camel grew up to be a young and energetic animal. He in the company of the lion. Was always seen

One day, the lion had to fight a wild bull, and in the fight he was badly injured. After this, the lion felt too weak to go out and hunt. He called his friends, the jackal and the wolf.

Look for an animal,' he said. T'll kill it and all of us can have a good meal.'

The two searched the entire forest but could not find an animal.

In despair, the jackal thought, 'If we can kill this camel we will have a sure meal for several days. But he's the king's favourite. He will not agree to kill the camel. Yet with my cunningness, I'll see that the lion kills him. The learned have said there is nothing impossible or f*******n for an intelligent being.

The jackal said to the camel, O camel, our lord has been without food for a long time and he may die of hunger. His death will mean a disaster for all of us. I have a plan to get over this problem.'

'Go ahead. Tell me what you have in mind. I shall certainly do whatever I can for the lord; because if we serve our master well, we'll reap a reward hundred times more valuable!' said the camel. O young camel, the jackal said, 'offer your body to the lord at double the profit. Your body will grow in size and the lord also will continue to live.

'I'm ready, replied the camel. 'Let the lord know that he can have my body.

The jackal, the wolf and the camel then went to the lion to inform him of the camel's decision. "We searched the entire forest without sighting even the smallest animal,' said the jackal to the lion. "It is already sunset now. The camel is prepared to offer his body if you are ready. The lion agreed, and the jackal and the wolf at

once pounced on the camel and tore him to pieces. 'I'm going to the river to take a bath,' said the lion to the jackal. "Till I come back, keep an eye on this food.

The minute the lion left the scene, the jackal thought of a plan to have the dead camel all by himself.

He said to the wolf, 'You seem to be very hun- gry. Go ahead and feast on the meat. When the lion comes, I shall convince him about your innocence. As soon as the wolf put the meat into his mouth, the jackal alerted him. The wolf thought that the lion was on his way back. And so to be above suspicion, he stopped eating. However, the lion had returned. and saw that the heart of the camel was missing.

'Who is the culprit who has eaten the camel first? Tell me and I'll kill him,' the lion roared.

The wolf then looked at the jackal, suggesting that the jackal should convince the lion of his innocence. But the jackal was cunning. He looked at the wolf and said, 'You did not heed my warning and ate the meat! Why do you now expect me to help you?'

Seeing the imminent danger, the wolf fled the scene to save his life.

Meanwhile, a caravan of camels passing by stopped near the place where the lion and the jackal were. The lead camel had a big bell tied around his neck. Frightened by the sound of the bell, the lion asked the Jackal to find out what the sound was all about. He had never heard such sounds in his life.

The jackal went and pretended to find out. After a while, he shouted.

'O lord! Run for your life!'

'What's the matter,' the lion asked. 'Why are you scaring me? Tell me clearly what's happening.' 'My lord, the jackal said, 'the lord of death is angry that you have killed the camel before its time. He is upset and has vowed that he would take from you one thousand times more than the value of the dead camel. He has also brought with him all the ancestors of the dead camel.'

The lion was thus tricked into fleeing the place in a hurry. He left behind the camel's body for the jackal to feast upon.

Damanaka continued, 'That is why I told you that a wise man protects his interest, even if it is to torment others, and never shares his secrets with others, as the jackal did in the story.'

At a distance, Sanjeevaka began pondering, Why did I, a vegetarian, serve under a meat eater? What should I do and where should I go? Perhaps, Pingalaka will spare me because he had given me an assurance. Trouble sometimes comes even to people who walk the path of right conduct. So, we cannot escape what our fate has in store for us.'

With these thoughts running in his mind, Sanjeevaka went to see Pingalaka. He sat down without greeting the king. Pingalaka was also surprised at Sanjeevaka's arrogance. He was now convinced that Damanaka had told him the truth about Sanjeevaka.

Thus, Pingalaka at once pounced on Sanjeevaka and began tearing him with his claws. Sanjeevaka too began goring Pingalaka with his horns to defend himself.

Seeing that Sanjeevaka and Pingalaka were determined to fight to the end, Karataka admonished

Damanaka. 'You fool! You have created a rift between the two friends. If the king dies, how can you be a min- ister? How do you aspire to be a minister when you do not know the principles of getting along with others? Warmongers like you can never attain their evil goals. You shouldn't use force where there's still room for peace. One of the two is bound to die. Save the situation if you can. In fact, I think it is my folly to tell you what is good and what is bad. Our elders have said that one should not preach to the one who is not a disciple. Have you not heard the story of the bird and the monkeys?'

'Which story?" asked Damanaka.