Translator:
Arnold, Edwin, Sir, 1832-1904, Griffiths, R. T. H., Monier-Williams, Monier, Sir, 1819-1899
'No, no, Sire!' exclaimed the Jackal, eagerly; 'that would spoil all our
precautions--
'Safe within the husk of silence guard the seed of counsel so
That it break not--being broken, then the seedling will not grow,'
What is to be done must be done with despatch. After censuring his
treason, would your Majesty still trust the traitor?--
'Whoso unto ancient fondness takes again a faithless friend,
Like she-mules that die conceiving, in his folly finds his end,'
'But wherein can the Bull injure me?' asked Tawny-hide; 'tell me that!'
'Sire,' replied the Jackal, how can I tell it?--
'Ask who his friends are, ere you scorn your foe;
The Wagtail foiled the sea, that did not so,'
'How could that be?' demanded King Tawny-hide.
'The Jackal related:--
THE STORY OF THE WAGTAIL AND THE SEA
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
LECTURE I.
GEN. iii. 22.--And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one
of us, to know good and evil.
LECTURE II.
1 COR. xiii. 11.--When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as
a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away
childish things.
LECTURE III.
"On the shore of the Southern Sea there dwelt a pair of Wagtails. The
Hen-bird was about to lay, and thus addressed her mate:--
'Husband, we must look about for a fit place to lay my eggs.'
'My dear,' replied the Cock-bird, 'will not this spot do?'
'This spot!' exclaimed the Hen; 'why, the tide overflows it.'
'Good dame,' said the Cock, 'am I so pitiful a fellow that the Sea will
venture to wash the eggs out of my nest?'
'You are my very good Lord,' replied the Hen, with a laugh; 'but still
there is a great difference between you and the Sea.'
"Afterwards, however, at the desire of her mate, she consented to lay
her eggs on the sea-beach. Now the Ocean had overheard all this, and,
bent upon displaying its strength, it rose and washed away the nest and
eggs. Overwhelmed with grief, the Hen-bird flew to her mate, and
cried:--
'Husband, the terrible disaster has occurred! My eggs arc gone!'
'Be of good heart! my Life,' answered he.