Crows and Owls
[The frametale for Book III of the Panchatantra.]
Here, then, begins Book 3, called "Crows and Owls," which treats of peace, war, and so forth. The first verse runs:
Reconciled although he be,
Never trust an enemy.
For the cave of owls was burned,
When the crows with fire returned.
"How was that?" asked the princes, and Vishnusharman told the following story.
In the southern country is a city called Earth-Base. Near it stands a great banyan tree with countless branches. And in the tree dwelt a crow-king named Cloudy with a countless retinue of crows. There he made his habitation and spent his time.
Now a rival king, a great owl named Foe-Crusher, had his fortress and his habitation in a mountain cave, and he had an unnumbered retinue of owls. This owl-king cherished a grudge, so that whenever he met a crow in his airings, he killed him and passed on. In this way his constant aggression gradually spread rings of dead crows about the banyan tree. Nor is this surprising. For the proverb says:
If you permit disease or foe
To march unheeded, you may know
That death awaits you, sure if slow.
Now one day Cloudy summoned all his counsellors and said: "Gentlemen, as you are aware, our enemy is arrogant, energetic, and a judge of occasions. He always comes at nightfall to work havoc in our ranks. How, then, can we counter-attack? For we do not see at night, and in the daytime we cannot discover his fortress. Otherwise, we might go there and strike a blow. What course, then, shall we adopt? There are six possibilities - peace, war, change of base, entrenchment, alliances, and duplicity."
And they replied: "Your Majesty does well to put this question. For the saying goes:
Good counsellors should tell their king,
Unasked, a profitable thing;
If asked, they should advise.
While flatterers who shun the true
(Which in the end is wholesome, too)
Are foemen in disguise.
Therefore it is now proper to confer in secret session."
Then Cloudy started to consult severally his five ancestral counsellors, whose names were Live-Again, Live-Well, Live-Along, Live-On, and Live-Long. And first of all he questioned Live-Again: "My worthy sir, what is your opinion under the circumstances?" And Live-Again replied: "O King, one should not make war with a powerful enemy. And this one is powerful and knows when to strike. Therefore make peace with him. For the saying goes:
Bow your head before the great,
Lifting it when times beseem,
And prosperity will flow
Ever onward, like a stream.
And again:
Make your peace with powerful foes
Who are rich and good and wise,
Who are seasoned conquerors,
In whose home no discords rise.
Make your peace with wicked men,
If your life endangered be;
Life, itself first made secure,
Gives the realm security.
And again:
Make your peace with him whose wont
It is to conquer in a fight;
Other foes will bend their necks
To you, fearful of his might.
Even with equals make your peace;
Victory is often given
Whimsically; take no risks -
Says the current saw in heaven.
Even with equals victory
Whimsically may alight.
Try three other methods first;
Only in extremis fight.
And yet again:
See! The bully to whose soul
Power is all, and peace is not,
Clashing with an equal foe,
Crumbles like an earthen pot.
Land and friends and gold at most
Have been won when battles cease;
If but one of these should fail,
It is best to live in peace.
When a lion digs for moles
Hiding in their pebbly house,
He is apt to break his nails,
And at best he gets a mouse.
Therefore, where no prize is won
And a healthy fight is sure,
Never stir a quarrel, but
Whatever the cost, endure.
By a stronger foe assailed,
Bend as bends the river reed;
Do not strike, as serpents do,
If you wish your luck to speed.
Imitators of the reed
Slowly win to glory's peak;
But the luckless serpent-men
Only earn the death they seek.
Shrink like turtles in their shells,
Taking blows if need there be;
Raise your head from time to time
Like the black snake, warily.
To sum it up:
Never struggle with the strong
(If you wish to know my mind)
Who has ever seen a cloud
Baffle the opposing wind?"
Having heard this view, the king said to Live-Well: "My worthy sir, I desire to hear your opinion also."
And Live-Well said: "O King, I disagree. Inasmuch as the enemy is cruel, greedy, and unprincipled, you should most certainly not make peace with him. For the proverb says:
With foes unprincipled and false
It's vain to seek accommodation:
Agreements bind them not; and soon
They show a wicked transformation.
Therefore you should, in my judgement, fight with him. You know the saying:
It's easy to uproot a foe
Contemning fighters, never steady,
Cruel and greedy, slothful, false,
Foolish and fearful and unready.
"But more than this - we have been humiliated by him. Therefore, if you propose peace, he will be angry and will employ violence again. There is a saying:
The truculence of fevered foes
By gentle measures is abetted:
What wise physician tries a douche?
He knows that fever should be sweated.
Conciliation simply makes
A foeman's indignation splutter,
Like drops of water sprinkled on
A briskly boiling pan of butter.
Besides, the previous speaker's point about the strength of the enemy is not decisive.
The smaller often slays the great
By showing energy and vigour:
The lion kills the elephant,
And rules with unrestricted rigour.
And more than that:
Foes indestructible by might
Are slain through some deceptive gesture,
As Bhima strangled Kichaka,
Approaching him in woman's vesture.
And yet again:
When kings are merciless as death,
All foes are quick to knuckle under;
Quick, too, to kill the kings who fall
Into compassion's fatal blunder.
And he whose sun of glory sets
Before the glory of another
Is born in vain; he wastes for nothing
The youthful vigour of his mother.
For Regal Splendour, unbesmeared
With foemen's blood as rich cosmetic,
Though dear, is insufficient for
Ambitions truly energetic.
And in a kingdom unbedewed
With foemen's blood in slaughter gory,
And hostile women's falling tears,
The king enjoys no living glory."
Having heard this view, the king put the question to Live-Along: "My worthy sir, pray express your opinion also."
And Live-Along said: "O King, the enemy is vicious and powerful and unscrupulous. Therefore you should make neither peace nor war with him. Only a change of base can be recommended. For the saying goes:
With vicious foemen, proud of power,
From hindering scruples free,
Adopt a change of base, not peace
Nor war, for victory.
Now change of base is known to be
No single thing, but twin -
Retreat, to save imperilled life;
Invasion, planned to win.
A warlike and ambitious king
May choose 'twixt April and
November - other months are barred -
To invade the hostile land.
For storming-parties - so the books
Prescribe - all times are fair,
If hostile forces show distress,
And lay some weakness bare.
A king should put his realm in charge
Of heroes strong and fit;
Then pounce upon the hostile land,
When spies have peopled it.
The case in hand requires, O King,
The base-change called Retreat,
Not peace nor war; the foe is vile,
And very hard to beat.
"Furthermore, a recessive movement is made, says the science of ethics, with due regard to cause and effect. The point is thus expressed in poetry:
When rams draw back, their butting fiercer stings;
The crouching king of beasts more deadly springs:
So wise dissemblers, holding vengeance sure,
In dumb communion with their hearts, endure.
And once again:
A king, abandoning his realm
To foes of fighting worth,
Preserves his life, as Fight-Firm did,
And later rules the earth.
And so, to sum it up:
The weak who, struggling with the strong,
Are not too proud to fight,
Bring great rejoicing to their foes,
And on their kinsmen, blight.
"Therefore, since you are engaged with a powerful foe, there is occasion for a change of base. It is no time for peace or war."
When he had listened to this view, the king said to Live-On: "My worthy sir, pray express your opinion also."
And Live-On said: "O King, I disapprove of peace, war, and change of base, all three of them; and particularly change of base. For
A crocodile at home
Can beat an elephant;
But if he goes abroad,
A dog can make him pant.
And again:
When stronger foes attack,
Close in your fortress stay;
But sally to relieve
Your friends, and save the day.
If, panic-struck, you flee
When foes are at the door,
And leave the land to them,
You never will see it more.
One man, entrenched, can hold
A hundred foes at bay
(Strong foes at that), therefore
In your entrenchment stay.
Therefore provide your fort
With shaft and gun; adorn
It well with moat and wall,
And store abundant corn.
Stand ever firm within,
Resolved to do or die:
So, living, earn renown;
Or dead, the starry sky.
And there is a further consideration:
The union of the weak
A powerful bully stumps:
The hostile blizzard spares
The shrubs that grow in clumps.
And single trees, though huge
And posted for defence,
May be uprooted by
The stout wind's violence.
While groves of trees, where each
Receives and gives defence,
Unitedly defy
The wind's fierce violence.
Just so, one man alone,
However brave he be,
Is scorned by foes, who soon
Proceed to injury."
Having listened to this view likewise, the king said to Live-Long: "My worthy sir, pray express your opinion also."
And Live-Long said: "O King, from among the six possibilities, I recommend alliance. Pray adopt that. For the saying goes:
Though deft and brilliant, what good end
Can you attain without a friend?
The fire that seems immortal will
Die when the fanning wind is still.
"Therefore you should stay at home and seek some competent ally, to make a counterweight against the enemy. But if you leave home and travel, no one will give you so much as a friendly word. For the proverb says:
The wind is friend to forest-fire
And causes it to flame the higher;
The same wind blows a candle out.
Who cares what poor folk are about?
"Nor is it even essential that the ally be powerful; the alliance even of feeble folk makes for defence. You know the saying:
However weak, a bamboo stem
From others takes, and gives to them
Strength to resist uprooting: so
Weak kings unite against a foe.
"And how much more so, if you have alliance with the truly great! For the poet says:
Who is there whom a friendly state
With great folk does not elevate?
The raindrop, hiding in a curl
Of lotus-petal, shines like pearl.
"Thus, O King, there is no counterweight to your enemy save in alliance. Therefore let an alliance be concluded. Such is my opinion."
After these opinions had been given, Cloudy bowed low before an ancient, farsighted counsellor of his race. This was a crow who had persevered to the last page of every textbook of social ethics, and his name was Live-Strong. "Father," said the king, "I had a secret purpose in questioning the others in your very presence; namely, that you might listen to everything, and instruct me as to what is fitting. Pray instruct me in the appropriate course of action."
And Live-Strong said: "My son, all that these have proposed is drawn from the textbooks of social ethics, and all is highly proper, each course in its own good time. But the present hour demands duplicity. You have heard the saying:
You must regard with like distrust
Both peace and warlike measures; must
Seek through duplicity your goal,
With powerful foes of evil soul.
"In this way those who themselves trust nobody and have a single eye to self-interest can win the trust of an enemy and easily destroy him. For the saying goes:
Shrewd enemies will cause a foe
Whom they would ruin, first to grow:
The flow of mucus by molasses
Is first increased, but later passes.
And again:
To foe, to false friend, to female
(Particularly her for sale)
The man so simple as to give
Straightforward conduct, does not live.
Proceed in pure straightforwardness
With Brahmans, with the gods no less,
With teachers, with yourself; but treat
All other creatures to deceit.
A hermit mastering his soul
May see life simple, see it whole;
Not those who thirst for carnal things,
Nor, most particularly, kings.
And so:
Strong through duplicity, you will
Preserve your habitation still;
For death will prove a friend in need,
To crush a foe possessed by greed.
"Furthermore, if a vulnerable point appears in him, you will destroy him by being aware of it."
But Cloudy said: "Father, I do not know his residence. So how shall I become aware of a vulnerable point?"
And Live-Strong replied: "My son, through spies I will reveal not only his dwelling, but also his vulnerable point. For
Cows see a thing by sense of smell;
While Scripture serves the Brahman well;
The king perceives by means of spies:
And other creatures use their eyes.
And in this connection there is another saying:
The king, well served by spies, who knows
The functionaries of his foes,
Who knows his retinue no less,
Is never plunged in deep distress."
Then Cloudy said: "Father, what are these functionaries? What is their number? And of what character are secret-service men? Pray tell me all."
And Live-Strong replied: "On these points the sage Narada gave the following information when questioned by King Fight-Firm. In the hostile camp are eighteen functionaries; in one's own, fifteen. Their conduct is discovered by assigning to each three secret-service men, by whose efforts both friends and enemies are kept in good control. The facts are put in a bit of doggerel:
The foe has eighteen functionaries;
And you have five and ten:
Give each, as unknown secretaries,
Three secret-service men.
"The term 'functionary' implies a delegated task. If this be shamefully performed, it ruins the king; if admirably, it brings him high success.
"Now for details. The functionaries in the hostile camp are - the counsellor, the chaplain, the commander-in-chief, the crown prince, the concierge, the superintendent of the gyneceum, the adviser, the tax-collector, the introducer, the master of ceremonies, the director of the stables, the treasurer, the minister for elephants, the assessor, the war-minister, the minister for fortifications, the favourite, the forester, and so forth. By sowing intrigue among these the enemy is subdued. In one's own camp the functionaries are - the queen, the queen-mother, the chamberlain, the florist, the lord of the bedchamber, the chief of the secret service, the star-gazer, the court physician, the purveyor of water, the purveyor of spices, the professor, the life-guard, the quartermaster, the bearer of the royal umbrella, and the geisha. It is by way of these that ruin befalls one's own party. As the saying goes:
Professor, star-scout, and physician
Find flaws within your home position:
The madman and snake-charmer know
Points vulnerable in the foe."
"Father," said Cloudy, "what is the origin of the deadly feud between crows and owls?"
And Live-Strong answered: "Listen. I will tell you How the Birds Picked a King.*
"For this cause, my son, we have an inherited feud with the crows."
"Father," said Cloudy, "what should we do under the circumstances?" And Live-Strong answered: "Even in these circumstances there is an effective procedure other than the six expedients. This I will adopt, and will myself lead the way to conquer the enemy. I will deceive them and put them in a fatal situation. For the saying goes:
The strong, deft, clever rascals note,
Who robbed the Brahman of his goat."
"How was that?" asked Cloudy. And Live-Strong told the story of
"And that is why I say:
The strong, deft, clever rascals note,
Who robbed the Brahman of his goat."
"Moreover, there is sound sense in this:
Is any man uncheated by
New servants' diligence,
The praise of guests, the maiden's tears,
And roguish eloquence?
Furthermore, one should avoid a quarrel with a crowd, though the individuals be weak. As the verse puts it:
Beware the populace enraged;
A crowd's a fearsome thing:
The ants devoured the giant snake
For all his quivering."
"How was that?" asked Cloudy. And Live-Strong told the story of
"And that is why I say:
Beware the populace enraged;
A crowd's a fearsome thing:
The ants devoured the giant snake
For all his quivering."
"Furthermore, O King, I have something to tell you, which you must consider, and ponder, and do."
"Father," said Cloudy, "tell me what you have in mind." And Live-Strong said: "Listen, my son. I have discovered a fifth device, different from the well-known four - conciliation, intrigue, bribery, and fighting. And it is this. You must turn against me, revile me with the hardest-hearted words you can find, smear me with blood (which you will provide) in order to deceive the enemy's spies, throw me out at the foot of this banyan tree, and depart yourself to Antelope Mountain. And there you must stay with your retinue until by clever planning I win the trust of all the enemy, discover the heart of their fortress, and kill them - for they are blind in the daytime. This plan I devised on the assumption that their fortress is of simple construction, without egress at the rear. For the saying goes:
A fort must have for egress, say
The specialists, a gap;
If this be lacking, it is not
A fortress, but a trap.
Nor should you feel any pity for me. For the proverb says:
Pet and pamper servants well;
Love them as you love your life:
Yet consider them as dry
Tinder in the hour of strife.
Nor must you balk me in my design. For once more:
Cherish servants like yourself;
Guard them as you guard your life
Every day for one sole day,
When you meet your foe in strife."
With these words he started a sham fight with the king. And Cloudy's retinue, seeing Live-Strong jabber with unbridled license at the king, started up to kill him. But Cloudy said: "Out of my path, you. I take upon myself the chastisement of this traitorous scoundrel." With this he pounced upon him, pecked at him gently, smeared him with blood (which he had provided), and departed with his retinue for Antelope Mountain, as Live-Strong had recommended.
At this juncture the owl's consort, acting as spy for the enemy, went and reported in detail to the owl-king the disgrace of Cloudy's prime minister. And the owl-king, informed of the occurrence, started with his retainers at sundown on a crow-hunt. And he said: "Hasten, friends, hasten! The enemy is panic-stricken, is in full flight, and can be readily caught. For the proverb says:
In flight, a fort becomes a trap
Where all defence is lacking;
It's easy then to beat a king
Whose men are busy packing."
With this battle-cry they flew to attack the banyan tree. And failing to find a single crow, King Foe-Crusher gleefully perched on a branch, and while the court poets chanted flatteries, he gave orders: "Ho there! Discover their line of retreat. Before they establish themselves in a fort, I will be at their heels and will kill them."
At this point Live-Strong reflected: "If the enemy simply go home after learning what we have done, I shall have accomplished nothing. For the proverb says:
The first or second evidence
Of genuine intelligence
Is - leave a business unbegun,
Or, if begun, then see it done.
It would have been better not to undertake this than to see the undertaking fail. I will reveal myself by letting them hear me caw."
So he cawed with a feeble squeak. And the owls, hearing this, started up to kill him. But Live-Strong said: "Gentlemen, I am Cloudy's minister, Live-Strong, reduced to this state by Cloudy himself. Pray inform your own king. I have much to discuss with him."
So the owl-king, informed by his followers, came, beheld with astonishment the scars of many wounds, and said: "Well, sir! How did you fall into this condition? Tell me."
And Live-Strong said: "O King, listen. Yesterday that rascal Cloudy, seeing how many crows you had killed, was distracted by wrath and grief, and started for your fortress. Whereupon I said: 'You should not march against him. For they are strong, and we are weak. Now the proverb advises those who wish to thrive:
Do not, even in thought, offend
Stronger foes who will not bend;
They will feel no loss or shame;
You will die, a moth in flame.
You should seek peace by paying him tribute.' When he heard this, he was made furious by rascally advisers, suspected me of being a partisan of yours, and reduced me to this state. Therefore your royal feet are now my sole refuge. In a word, so long as I can stir, I will conduct you to his abode, and cause the total destruction of the crows."
On hearing this, Foe-Crusher took counsel with the counsellors who had served his father and his grandfather. They were five in number, and their names were Red-Eye, Fierce-Eye, Flame-Eye, Hook-Nose, and Wall-Ear.
So first he questioned Red-Eye: "My worthy sir, what is to be done under the circumstances?"
And Red-Eye said: "O King, what is there to consider here? Kill him without hesitation. For the proverb says:
Kill a weakling, lest he grow
Hard to smite;
Later, with augmented power
He will fight.
Besides, you know how common people say: 'A lost chance brings a curse.' And again:
He who will not when he may,
When he will, he shall have nay.
And this too:
The lighted funeral pile you may
Break up and fling apart;
But love, when torn and patched again,
Lives in an aching heart."
"How was that?" asked Foe-Crusher. And Red-Eye told the story of The Snake Who Paid Cash.**
"Thus, when he is dead, you will without effort enjoy a thornless kingdom."
Having listened to this proposal, the king asked Fierce-Eye: "My worthy sir, what is your opinion?" And Fierce-Eye said: "O King, his advice is heartless. For one does not kill a suppliant. No doubt you have heard the old story:
The dove (there mentioned) entertained
His suppliant foeman slaughter-stained;
Paid honour due, his guest to greet;
And sacrificed himself for meat."
"How was that?" asked Foe-Crusher. And Fierce-Eye told the story of
"And that is why I say:
The dove (there mentioned) entertained
His suppliant foeman slaughter-stained;
Paid honour due, his guest to greet;
And sacrificed himself for meat."
Having listened to this, Foe-Crusher asked Flame-Eye: "What is your opinion, sir, things standing as they do?" And Flame-Eye said:
"She who always shrank from me
Hugs me to her breast.
Thank you, benefactor! Take
What you like the best."
And the thief replied:
"Nothing here that I should like;
Should I want a thing,
I'll return if she does not
Passionately cling."
"But," asked Foe-Crusher, "who is she that does not cling? And who is the thief? I should like to hear this one in detail." And Flame-Eye told the story of
"Thus advantage may be anticipated from a benefactor, thief though he be. How much more from a suppliant guest? Besides, having been maltreated by them, he will labour for our success, or for the revelation of their vulnerable point. In view of this, he should not be killed."
Having listened to this view, Foe-Crusher questioned another counsellor, namely, Hook-Nose. "My worthy sir, what should be done under the present circumstances?"
And Hook-Nose answered: "O King, he should not be killed. For
From enemies expect relief,
If discord pierce their host;
Thus, life was given by the thief
And cattle by the ghost."
"How was that?" asked Foe-Crusher. And Hook-Nose told the story of
"And that is why I say:
From enemies expect relief,
If discord pierce their host;
Thus, life was given by the thief
And cattle by the ghost."
Besides:
The Scriptures tell a holy tale
Of sacrificial love,
How Shibi gave the hawk his flesh
As ransom for the dove -
showing that it is contrary to religion to slay a suppliant."
Having listened to this opinion, the king asked Wall-Ear: "What is your view, sir? Tell me."
And Wall-Ear said: "O King, he certainly should not be killed. For if you spare his life, you two may well grow fond of each other, and spend the time pleasantly. There is a saying:
Be quick with mutual defence
In honest give-and-take;
Or perish, like the ant-hill beast
And like the belly-snake."
"How was that?" asked Foe-Crusher. And Wall-Ear told the story of The Snake in the Prince's Belly.*
"And that is why I say:
Be quick with mutual defence
In honest give-and-take;
Or perish, like the ant-hill beast
And like the belly-snake."
Now Foe-Crusher, having heard their advice, agreed. But Red-Eye, perceiving that the matter was decided, continued his remarks with a quiet sneer: "Alas! Alas! Our lord the king has been wickedly done to death by you gentlemen. For the proverb says:
Where honour is withheld or paid
Mistakenly, it's clear
Three things have unrestricted course:
Famine, and death, and fear.
And again:
It argues utter want of sense
To pardon obvious offense:
The carpenter upon his head
Took wife and him who fouled his bed."
"How was that?" asked the counsellors, and Red-Eye told the story of
"And that is why I say:
It argues utter want of sense
To pardon obvious offense:
The carpenter upon his head
Took wife and him who fouled his bed."
"We are certainly uprooted and undone. For the proverb is right in saying:
Shrewd men unmask a foe
Who seems a friend,
Whose speech is kind, whose acts
To hatred tend.
And again:
Before fools' counsel flees
Prosperity, though won;
Its place and time are lost,
Like dark before the sun."
But they all disregarded his advice, picked Live-Strong up, and started to carry him to their fortress. And on the journey Live-Strong said: "O King, I have done nothing yet, and I am in a sad state. Why are you so kind to me? Nay, I desire to enter the blazing fire. Pray put me under obligations by providing fire."
Now Red-Eye pierced his purpose and said: "Why do you wish to enter fire?"
And Live-Strong replied: "For your sake I have been plunged into this calamity by Cloudy. Therefore I wish to be reborn as an owl in order to requite their enmity."
Now Red-Eye, being a master of diplomacy, rejoined: "My dear sir, you are wily and plausible. Even if reborn as an owl, you would highly esteem your corvine provenience. There is a story that illustrates the point:
Though mountain, sun, and cloud, and wind
Were suitors at her feet,
The mouse-maid turned a mouse again -
Nature is hard to beat."
"How was that?" asked Live-Strong. And Red-Eye told the story of
"And that is why I say:
Though mountain, sun, and cloud, and wind
Were suitors at her feet,
The mouse-maid turned a mouse again -
Nature is hard to beat."
But they paid no heed to Red-Eye's reasoning, and took the crow to their fortress, to the destruction of their race. And on the journey Live-Strong laughed in his heart and said:
The secrets of diplomacy
To him alone were plain
Who, instant in his master's cause,
Advised that I be slain.
"Now if they were to take his advice, not even the slightest misfortune would befall them."
When they came to the fortress gate, Foe-Crusher said: "Come, my friends! Give this Live-Strong whatever chamber he prefers - for he wishes us well."
And Live-Strong, hearing this, reflected: "I must now devise a plan for their destruction. This is not possible if I live in their midst. For they would observe motions betraying my purpose, and would keep their eyes open. Only by remaining near the gate can I accomplish my desire."
He therefore said to the owl-king: "O King, what the king has said, is eminently right. Yet I, too, am a student of diplomacy and a well-wisher. I know that even one who is loyal and pure in purpose should not dwell in the heart of a fortress. I will therefore take my place here at the fortress gate and pay daily homage, my body sanctified by the dust from your lotus feet."
To this the owl-king agreed, and his efficient caterers daily gave Live-Strong, by special command of the king, the pick of the viands. So that in a very few days he grew strong as a peacock.
But Red-Eye, seeing how Live-Strong was being pampered, was amazed, and he said to the counsellors and to the king himself: "Dear me! These counsellors are a pack of fools, and you, too, sir. I cannot think otherwise. Then there is the saying:
I played the fool at first; then he
Who had me on his tether;
And then the king and counsellor -
We all were fools together."
"How was that?" they asked. And Red-Eye told the story of
"And that is why I say:
I played the fool at first; then he
Who had me on his tether;
And then the king and counsellor -
We all were fools together."
But once more - for fate was hostile - they neglected Red-Eye's counsel, sound as it was, and pampered Live-Strong further with varied viands, including plenty of meat.
Then Red-Eye called together his personal adherents, and said to them privately: "The end is at hand. The welfare of our king, and his fortress, are things of the past. I have given him such counsel as an ancestral counsellor should give. Let us now, for our part, seek another fortress in the mountains. For the saying goes:
Joy comes from knowing what to dread,
And sorrow smites the dunderhead:
A long life through, the woods I've walked,
But never heard a cave that talked."
"How was that?" they asked. And Red-Eye told the story of
"Take this to heart and come with me." And Red-Eye, having made his decision, departed for another fortress, accompanied by a retinue of followers.
At Red-Eye's departure, Live-Strong was overjoyed. And he reflected: "Very good, indeed. Red-Eye's flight is a blessing to us. For he was farsighted, while the rest are numskulls. I can easily destroy them now. For the proverb says:
If no farsighted counsellors,
Long-tried, secure,
Aid him, the downfall of a king
Is swift and sure.
And there is sound reasoning in this:
The shrewd discover enemies
Disguised as friends
In senseless counsellors whose speech
To evil tends."
After these reflections, he dropped each day one fagot from the forest into his own nest, with the ultimate purpose of setting the cave afire. Nor did the owls, poor fools, perceive that he was building up his nest in order to burn them alive. Well, there is sense in the saying:
Cause your friends no bitter woes;
Do not fraternize with foes:
Friends, when lost, are friends no more;
Enemies were lost before.
Thus, pretending to build a nest, Live-Strong constructed a woodpile at the fortress gate. Then at sunrise, when the owls became blind, he hastened away and reported to Cloudy: "My lord and king, I have prepared the enemy's cave for burning. Come with your retainers, each bringing a lighted fagot from the forest, to throw on my nest at the gate of the cave. Thus all your foes will die in torments like those in Pot-baking Hell."
At this Cloudy was delighted and said: "Father, tell me your adventures. It is long since we met."
"No, my son," said Live-Strong. "This is no time for talk. Some enemy spy might possibly report my journey hither. And our blind enemy, thus informed, might make his escape. Make haste, make haste. For the proverb says:
When speed is needful, never permit
Delay, but do it pat;
Else, wrathful gods are sure to strike
The undertaking flat.
And again:
Whatever deed you have in mind
(Especially when fate is kind),
Do quickly. If you wait a bit,
Then time will suck the juice of it.
"Later, when your enemies are slain, and you have returned to your home, I will tell the whole story in carefree humour."
So Cloudy and his followers, taking Live-Strong's advice, seized one lighted fagot apiece in their bills, flew to the gate of the cave, and threw their fagots upon Live-Strong's nest. Then all the owls (being blind in the daytime) remembered Red-Eye's counsels as they suffered the torments of Pot-baking Hell. In this fashion Cloudy exterminated his foes and returned to his old fortress in the banyan tree.
There he mounted the lion-throne and, his heart overflowing with joy, he questioned Live-Strong in full session of his court: "Father, how did you pass the time in the midst of the enemy? For the proverb says:
Better a plunge in blazing fire
(The righteous know)
Than momentary contact with
A wicked foe."
And Live-Strong said: "My lord and king!
Whatever path provides escape
When danger's face is seen,
With clear decision follow, if
It noble seem, or mean:
Two arms like trunks of elephants,
Fight-calloused, skilled to wield
The bow of heaven, Arjun felt
To woman's bracelets yield.
The wise and strong, awaiting days
More prosperous, must grant
Obedience to wicked lords
Whose speech is adamant:
Gigantic Bhima, smoke-begrimed,
Puffing at labour, and
A ladle flourished in his fist,
Was cook in Matsya land.
The prudent, hopeful man should act
As suits an evil case,
Should steel his heart to carry through
A holy deed, or base:
Great Arjun with a calloused arm
From twanging bow divine
Effeminately danced, and saw
His tinkling girdle shine.
The wise, alert, ambitious man,
If he expect success,
Must wait on fortune, watch his step,
And curb his stateliness:
Yudhishthir King, with pilgrim's staff,
Long drew his painful breath,
Though worshiped by his brothers, great
As War, and Wealth, and Death.
So Kunti's handsome, powerful twins,
High birth writ on their brows,
Were menials at Virata's court,
And lived by counting cows.
So queenly Draupadi, with youth's
And matchless beauty's seal,
In charm most like a goddess, fell
By turn of fortune's wheel;
And haughty maidens called her slave
And sneered at her for sport,
What time she powdered sandalwood
In Matsya's royal court."
"Father," said Cloudy, "this dwelling with an enemy seems to me like the sword-blade ordeal."
"So it is," said Live-Strong. "But I never saw such a pack of fools anywhere. Not one was sensible except Red-Eye. He, indeed, has great capacity, an intelligence not blunted by his extensive scientific attainments. He discovered my exact purpose. But as for the other counsellors, they were great fools, making a living by a mere pretence of giving good counsel, with no flair for verity. They were not even aware of this:
'It's ruinous to trust the scamps
Who come to you from hostile camps;
Such rivals you should chase away,
For constant trouble does not pay.
The foeman serving as a scout,
Who knows (by bobbing in and out)
Your favoured chair, familiar bed,
And how you drink, and what you're fed,
Your travels to another town -
Will strike his heedless foeman down.
The prudent therefore guards himself -
The source of virtue, love, and pelf -
With every effort, strain, and stress:
For death will follow heedlessness.
And there is plenty of sense in this:
Who, ill-advised, does not commit
Grave faults of savoir faire?
What glutton has not much unrest
Within himself to bear?
Whom does not fortune render proud?
Whom does not death lay low?
To whom do not possessions bring
Abundant harm and woe?
The steady forfeit glory, while
The restless forfeit friends;
The bankrupt forfeits family,
The banker, better ends;
The man of passion forfeits books,
The fawner, friendship's flower;
The king with careless counsellors
Must forfeit kingly power.
"Yes, O King, I have experienced in person what you were kind enough to put into words: that association with the enemy is equal to the sword-blade ordeal. As the old verse puts it:
Bear even foes upon your back;
When fortune clogs
Your path, endure. The great black snake
Slew many frogs."
"How was that?" asked Cloudy. And Live-Strong told the story of The Frogs that rode Snakeback.*
"And that is why I say:
Bear even foes upon your back;
When fortune clogs
Your path, endure. The great black snake
Slew many frogs."
Thus, O King, just as Slow-Poison destroyed the frogs through the power of intelligence, so did I destroy all the enemy. There is much wisdom in this:
The forest-fire leaves roots entire,
Though trunks remain a shell;
The flooding pool of water cool
Uproots the roots as well."
"Very true," said Cloudy. "And besides:
This is the greatness of the great
Whom gems of wisdom decorate;
Despite what hurts and hinders, too,
They see an undertaking through."
"Very true," said Live-Strong. "And once again:
The final penny of a debt,
The final foeman dire,
The final twinges of disease,
The final spark of fire -
Finality on these imposed
Leaves nothing to desire.
"O King, you are truly fortunate. For your undertaking has had final success. Indeed, valour is not sufficient to end a matter. Victory is wisdom's business. As the proverb says:
'It's not the sword destroys a foe,
'It's wit that utterly lays low:
Swords kill the body; wit destroys
Fame, family, and regal joys.
"Thus, success comes with minimum effort to a man of wisdom and manliness. For
Wisdom broods over the inception;
Memory does not fail;
Means appear to predilection;
Counsels wise prevail;
Sparkles fruitful meditation;
Mind attains its height;
Joy achieves its consummation
In a worthy fight.
"Thus kingship belongs to the man possessing prudence, capacity for self-sacrifice, and courage. As the verse puts it:
Associate in full delight
With someone who is wise,
Self-sacrificing, brave; thereby
Win virtue as a prize;
On virtue follows money; and
qOn money follows fame;
Then, personal authority;
qAnd then, the kingly name."
And Cloudy replied: "It is wonderful how immediate is the reward of knowing social ethics. By virtue of which you penetrated and exterminated Foe-Crusher with his retinue."
Whereupon Live-Strong said:
"Where at last you need sharp measures,
First try gentle measures there:
Thus the lofty, lordly tree-trunk
Is not felled without a prayer.
"And yet, O my king, why say of a future matter either that it involves no effort or that it is not readily attainable? There is wisdom in the saying:
Since words with actions fail to suit,
The timidly irresolute
Who see a thousand checks and blocks
Turn into public laughingstocks.
Nor are thoughtful men heedless even in minor matters. For
The negligent who say:
'Some day, some other day -
The thing is petty, small;
Demands no thought at all,'
Are, heedless, headed straight
For that repentant state
That ever comes too late.
"But as for my master, who has overcome his foes, he may sleep tonight as soundly as ever he did. You know the saying:
In houses where no snakes are found,
One sleeps; or where the snakes are bound:
But perfect rest is hard to win
With serpents bobbing out and in.
"And again:
A noble purpose to attain
Desiderates extended pain,
Asks man's full greatness, pluck, and care,
And loved ones aiding with a prayer.
Yet if it climb to heart's desire,
What man of pride and fighting fire,
Of passion, and of self-esteem
Can bear the unaccomplished dream?
His heart indignantly is bent
(Through its achievement) on content.
"Therefore my heart is at peace. For I saw the undertaking through. Therefore may you now long enjoy this kingdom without a thorn - intent on the safeguarding of your people - your royal umbrella, throne, and glory unshaken through the long succession of son, grandson, and beyond. Remember:
A king should bring his people ease,
But he should also aim to please;
His reign is else of little note,
A neck-teat on a female goat.
And once again:
Love of virtue, scorn of vice,
Wisdom - make a kingdom's price.
Then is Glory proud as slave,
Then her plumes and pennons brave
Near the white umbrella wave.
"Nor must you, in the thought, 'My kingdom is won,' shatter your soul with the intoxication of glory. And this because the power of kings is a thing uncertain. Kingly glory is hard to climb as a bamboo-stem; hard to hold, being ready to tumble in a moment, with whatever effort it be held upright; even though conciliated, yet sure to slip away at last; fidgety as the bandar-log; unequilibrated as water on a lotus-leaf; mutable as the wind's path; untrustworthy as rogues' friendship; hard to tame as a serpent; gleaming but a moment like a strip of evening cloud; fragile by nature, like the bubbles on water; ungrateful as the substance of man's body; lost in the moment of attainment, like the treasure of a dream. And furthermore:
Whenever kings anointed are,
Let wit spy trouble from afar;
Anointing-jars too often spill,
With holy water, pending ill.
"And no man in the wide world is beyond the clutch of pending ill. As the poet sings:
Remember Rama, wandering far;
Remember Nala's sinking star;
With Bali's bonds, the Vrishnis' tomb,
And Lanka's monster-monarch's doom;
The Pandus' forest-borne disaster,
And knightly Arjun, dancing-master.
Time brings us woe in countless shapes.
What saviour is there? Who escapes?
Ah, where is Dasharath, who rose to heaven
And dwelt its king beside?
Ah, where King Sagar, he to whom It was given
To bind the ocean's tide?
Where arm-born Prithu? Where is Manu gone,
Sun-child (yet suns still rise)?
Imperious Time awakened them at dawn,
At evening closed their eyes.
And again:
Where is Mandhatar, conqueror supreme?
Where Satyavrat, the king?
God-ruling Nahush? Keshav, ever the gleam
Of science following?
They and their lordly elephants, I ween,
Their cars, their heavenly throne,
By lofty Time conferred, in Time were seen,
And lost through Time alone.
And yet again:
The king, his counsellors,
His maidens gay,
His golden groves, Fate stings.
They sink away.
"Thus, having won kingly glory, quivering like the ear of a rogue elephant, take delight in her, but trust in wisdom only."
Here ends Book 3, called "Crows and Owls," which treats of peace, war, and the other four expedients.
The first verse runs:
The first verse runs:
Reconciled although he be,
Never trust an enemy.
For the cave of owls was burned,
When the crows with fire returned.
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