Folk-lore of the Telugus/The Acquisition of Friends
XLI.
THE GAINING OF FRIENDS.
At Rajahmundry there lived a King Vishnu vardhana by name, who, distressed at the misconduct of his sons, requested a Brahman to instruct them in the paths of virtue. The Brahman, thereupon, began to tell them the following story of the crow, the turtle, the deer and the rat to prove to them the blessings of harmony.
There stood on the banks of the Godavari a huge cotton tree on which birds of the air used to roost at night. Laghupathanaka, king of the crows, woke early one morning and saw a Kirata fowler who appeared to him a second Yama and said:—"I have seen this man's face at dawn. Some misfortune is sure to happen. It is not wise to remain near him." As he was flying away as quickly as possible, the fowler approached the tree, scattered a little rice, spread his net, and lay in ambush close by. Thereupon Chitragriva, the dove-king, who was flying afar off, saw the rice and said to his fellow-doves:—"Whence cometh this rice in a desert? We should not crave for this rice. Once upon a time a traveller, through craving a bracelet, was deceived by a tiger and died.
Once upon a time an old tiger bathed and holding sacred grass in its hand stood on the bank of a tank and called aloud to a passer-by to take the golden bracelet which he offered him. The traveller thought to himself:—'This is my luck. Why hesitate ?' So he asked the tiger to show him the bracelet, and the tiger stretched forth his paw and said:—'See, here is the bracelet.' The traveller said:—'You are a cruel beast: how can I trust you'? The tiger replied:—'True, I was a very cruel beast in my young days, and slew a host of men and cows. As a consequence I lost my wife and children and have to live alone. But a kind man had mercy on me and advised me to give up killing men and cows and practise good actions. I took his advice, and now I am a poor, weak brute. Why can you not trust me? As you are a poor man I wish to give this in charity to you. Go and bathe in the tank close by and you can have it.' The greedy fell into the trap, went into the water, and was bogged in the mud. The tiger saw him and said:—'It is a pity you should have fallen into the mire. I will come and pull you out. Be not afraid.' Thus saying he approached him slowly and caught hold of him. The fool as he was dying, cried out:—'This is the result of my stupid covetousness.'"
The moral is that we should do nothing in a hurry.
One of the doves answered:—"What's the good of excessive caution? If we are to get our food, we must run risks." On this they all flew and were caught in the net.
When they found themselves entangled they turned on their adviser and abused him:—"This is what comes of following your advice."While the other pigeons reproved^ him Chitragriva said:—"What is the use of crying over spilt milk? We are in a mess, and must do our best to get out of it. A thought suggests itself to me. Let us all fly up together and take the net with us. When united even weak creatures can do much." Hearing this, the doves soared up into the sky, saying there cannot be any better suggestion. The fowler amazed thought of catching them when they alighted again, and followed them staring at the sky till they disappeared from his view, when he went home in grief.
"When the birds saw this they asked Chitragriva the next thing to be done. He answered:—"I have a friend, the rat-king Hiranayaka, who dwells at Vichithravana on the banks of the Gandak. He can save us by biting the net strings with his strong teeth. Let us go to him." They took his advice and went to Hiranayaka. But the rat hearing the noise of their wings was sore afraid and would not leave his hole. Chitragriva called to him in a loud voice and said:—"Friend why do you not speak to us?" The rat knew his voice and came out at once.
"I am delighted to see my good friend Chitragriva." When he saw the pigeons caught in the net, he was startled, and said:—"Friend, what is this?" Chitragriva replied:—"Friend; this is the fruit of our destiny." The rat began to gnaw at the threads, but Chitragriva said:— "Friend, this is not the way to do it. First untie the knots of my subjects, and then mine." Hiranayaka replied:—"My teeth are very weak. I cannot cut all the knots. I will try to sever your knots as long as there is strength in my teeth. Then we shall see about the others if I have sufficient strength." To which Chitragriva replied:—"Do as you please. What can we do beyond our strength?" To which Hiranayaka said :—"Have you not heard of the proverb, ' charity begins at home?" Thereupon Chitragriva replied:—"Friend, what you say is true enough. But cannot endure the trouble of my subjects."
Thus pleased Hiranayaka and he set to work and free all the doves, and after entertaining them sent them all home rejoicing.
The guru further said:—Hiranayaka then entered his bole. Laghupathanaka, astonished at what he had seen, came and alighted near the hole of Hiranayaka, and said:—"Oh, Hiranayaka! I desire your friendship. Have mercy on me and fulfil my desire." Hearing this Hiranayaka from inside the hole, said:—"Who are you?" To which the crow replied:—"I am a crow. My name is Laghupathanaka.' Hiranayaka laughed at this, and said:—"I am your lawful prey. How can we two be friends? It will be with us as with the deer who was caught in the trap and owed his life to the crow." "How was that?" enquired Laghupathanaka. So Hiranayaka went on to say:—
"A deer and a crow once lived in the forest of Mantharavati in the land of Magadha, and were close friends. The deer throve and grew fat until a jackal saw him and thought to himself what a dainty meal he could make of him. So thinking the jackal came to the deer and said: —'Let us be friends.' 'Who are you?' asked the deer. 'I am Subuddhi, the jackal, and I desire your friendship.' So the deer took the jackal to his lair and when the crow who was perched on a tree close by saw them he said to the deer:—'Who is your friend'? 'This is my dear friend, the jackal, Subuddhi,' he answered. To this the crow replied :—'Can you trust a new-comer? In days of yore, a kite, Jarathgava by name, died through having entertained a cat, which story I shall tell you.
On the banks of the Bhagirathi is a large fig tree. In a hole in its trunk there lived Jarathgava, an old kite. The birds that lived on the tree used to share their food with him and thus he managed to live. One day, Thirghakarna, a cat, approached- the tree noiselessly, intending to eat the nestlings. They cried out when they saw her, and Jarathgava, hearing the noise, looked out and spied the cat. The cat was sore afraid of the kite, and thought to herself:—'I am in evil case, I can only escape by my cunning.' So the cat stood before the kite and bowed to him, whereupon the kite asked her who she was. 'I am a cat, and people call me Thirghakarna.' To which the kite replied:— 'Be off at once, or it will be the worse for you.' To which the kite replied:—'Kindly let me explain.' So the kite enquired the cat's errand. To which she replied:—'I have changed my course of life and become a Brahmacharin. I have long wished to meet you, and hospitality is a sacred duty.' The kite, in answer, said:—'Cats are very fond of meat, and there are many nestlings here. This is why I spoke.' When the cat heard this, she put her paws to her ears, and invoking the Lord Krishna swore that she had given up animal food, and was now devoted to deeds piety. Hearing these words, the kite requested the cat not to be angry. 'How can a person know the character of a new-comer as soon as he arrives? Come and go as you please.' So the cat became a crony of the kite and used to live in the same hole in the tree.
By and by the cat used to creep out every night and eat some of the nestlings, which when the birds perceived they began to look about. The cat cleared out at once, and the birds found the bones in the nest of the kite and pecked him to pieces.
Therefore it is that I said that we should not trust a new-comer.
Hearing this, the jackal looked indignantly at the crow, and said:—'You too were a newcomer when you took up with the deer. Is not a castor oil plant considered a huge tree in a treeless plain? It is only the ignorant that make a difference between a friend and a foe.' Hearing this, the deer said:—'Why all this wrangling? Let us all spend our days in one place in peace.' On hearing this, the crow consented. The deer, the jackal and the crow lived together in harmony. After some days had passed the jackal said to the deer:—'Friend I I have seen in the forest a field fully ripe. Accompany me. I will show you the field. So saying the fox took the deer with him and showed him the place. After this the deer began to graze there. The owner of the field noticed it and resolved to kill the beast. So he laid a net at a corner of the field and went home. The animal, as usual, came the next day to the field to graze and was entangled in the meshes and began to think:—'Alas! I am caught in a net! What can I do ? Who is there to rescue me ? If my friend the crow chance to come, he might save me.' The jackal was pleased at the sight and thought that his object was gained. So he went up to the deer, who said:—'Friend, come quick and cut the net.' The jackal said:—"This is the holy day of Munisvara. How can I touch animal sinew on a fast day ? Any other day I am at your service.' Night came on. The crow missing the deer came to look for him and asked him what had happened. 'This comes,' he answered, 'of trusting a false friend.' Meanwhile the farmer came up, and the crow said:—'He comes like another Yama, and we must act at once. Do as I tell you. Spread out your legs and feign to be dead.' The deer followed his advice, and when the farmer loosed him from the net the crow gave a caw and the deer escaped. Just then the jackal came up in hopes of a meal; but the farmer, vexed at his mishap, killed him with a blow of his cudgel. He that digs a pit for others falls in himself."
When he heard this tale, Laghupathanaka said to Hiranayaka:—"This is foolish talk. Accept me as your friend like Chitragriva." To which Hiranayaka replied:—You are fickle-minded. It is not advisable to make an everlasting friendship with the fickle-minded. To add to this, you are my enemy. It is not good to be on terms of intimacy with an enemy, however good he may be. I cannot, therefore, be intimate with you." To which Laghupathanaka replied:—"Why talk so much without understanding my disposition? Hear my last word. I have seen Chitragriva enjoying the pleasure of your company. I desire to be on terms of friendship with you. It is well if you fulfil my prayers. If not, I shall voluntarily starve myself to death and die." Hiranayaka hearing this came out of the hole and said:—"Laghupathanaka, I am very much pleased with you. I shall do what you desire me to do." Thus saying Hiranayaka pleased the crow by his good deeds, let him depart, and entered the hole. From that time forward, the rat and the crow spent their days in friendly intercourse.
Some time after the crow seeing the rat said:—"Comrade, it is very difficult to eke out a livelihood here. I intend, therefore, to quit this desert for a suitable abode." Whereupon Hiranayaka replied:—"Teeth, hair, nails, and men will not shine if their habitation is gone. The wise person ought, therefore, to give up the idea of quitting a residence." To which the crow replied:—"Friend, your words are weak. Elephants, lions and good men wander wheresoever they will. Crows, birds and cowards perish in their own place, not being able to quit it." Whereupon Hiranyaka said:—"Comrade, where is it that you want to go to?" To which the crow replied:—"We should not quit an old residence without examining a new one. Therefore it is that I have not spoken to you before fixing our new quarters. There is in the forest of Dandaka a tank called Karpuragaura. In it dwells my friend Manthara, the turtle-king. He is a charitable creature. That excellent tortoise will support me with plenty of fish food." Whereupon Hiranayaka said:—"What can I do here after you are gone ? Take me, therefore, along with you." Laghupathanaka hearing this was very much pleased and consented to the proposal. They then began their journey with pleasant conversation on the way and reached the tank in a few days. When Manthara saw them at a distance, he went to meet them, fetched them thither, and feasted them as became their rank.
Laghupathanaka then said to Manthara:—"Comrade, treat this rat-king respectfully. He is the foremost among the virtuous, the ocean of good qualities, and is known as Hiranayaka. Even Sesha is unable to describe his qualities. How much then am I?"
So saying he narrated Hiranayaka's story in detail from the beginning. Manthara then treated Hiranayaka with much respect and said:—"Hiranyaka, what is the cause of your living in a desert ?" To which he replied:—
"There was a town named Champakavati which was inhabited by many Sanyasis, among whom was one Chudakarna. He would eat part of the food fetched and would hang the other portion on a wooden peg fixed in the wall and then go to sleep. I would creep noiselessly to it and would every day partake of the food. Once upon a time he was conversing with his friend Vinakarna and was constantly looking up and shaking his rattle and terryfying me. Vinakarna then asked Chudakarna:—'Why is it that you look up and shake your rattle?' To which he replied:—'A rat every day gets up the wooden peg and partakes of the food there. It is a source of very great trouble to me.' Vinakarna hearing this said:—'Where is the rat and where the wooden peg ? Where did such little creature get the strength to climb such a great height ? There must be some cause for this. Some time ago I went to a Brahman's house to eat, when the Brahman called his wife and said:—'To-morrow a few Brahmans must be fed as it is the new-moon day. What provisions have you collected for it?' To which the housewife replied:—'If the men bring home provisions, the women can cook them. If they do not bring them what can we do?' Whereupon he grew exceedingly angry and turning to his wife said:—'We must manage with the things we possess and not seek what we have not.' To which the housewife agreed and said:—'I shall manage tomorrow's meal with the little that we have.' So saying she washed, pounded and dried a quantity of sesamum. A fowl, then came and scratched away the seed. The Brahman seeing this, said:—'The sesamum seeds have become impure and unfit for a Brahman meal. Go and exchange these for something else and return.' The housewife came the next day into the house to which I was invited to eat, and asked the housewife if she would give ordinary sesamum in exchange for her pounded seed. The housewife gladly agreed to her proposal, took some sesamum seed in a sieve and was conversing when the master asked her what it was that she was bargaining about. To which she said that she received pounded sesamum seed in exchange for a smaller quantity of unhusked seed. The Brahman hearing this, said:—'O fool! would anybody give pounded seed in exchange for unhusked? There must be some reason for her giving it. Do not cake this grain.' So this rat cannot have such strength and this fixed abode here without a cause.'
While Vinakarna told this tale, Chudakarna heard it, searched and found a hole where the rat was residing. 'Why should it reside here? I shall dig it up. 'So saying he took up an axe and dug into my hole and took away all the treasure stored up from many a long day. Being sorely vexed, and unable to earn my daily bread, I was creeping sadly about when Chudakarna one day saw me and said:—"Wealth is the root of all welfare. What is the good of life without money. This rat having lost all his wealth has lost with it his original strength." When the Sannyasin said this I grew dejected and thought thus within myself:— 'It is not right for me to live here any longer. Nor is it proper to communicate my story to others. Chudakarna seeing me not quitting the place aimed a fatal blow at me with his stick which I fortunately escaped. Had it struck me I must have been for long an inhabitant of Yamaloka. So musing I left the place and came to the jungle where life is easier for us." Manthara hearing this, said:—"Wealth is perishable, and it is useless to hoard it, as you will see from the fate of the miserly jackal. "
One day a hunter named Bhairava, of the city of Kalyana Katak, went into the forest. He slew a deer and was carrying it home when he met a wild pig. He aimed an arrow at the beast, which in his death struggle gored him and a great serpent which lay close by. So all three died then and there. Up came the jackal Thirgarava, and seeing the dead bodies rejoiced at the prospect of having abundant food. But in his greediness bethought to himself:—'The meat I will keep for use and meanwhile I will eat the bowstring.' As soon as he began to bite the string the arrow was released and slew him too."
When he heard these words of Manthara he rejoiced and said:—"Now I know the value of a good friend."
One day when they were enjoying themselves in the forest a deer rushed up, pursued by a hunter. The tortoise in his fear shuffled into the water : the rat crept into his hole and the; crow flew to the top of a tree. He looked all round, and seeing no sign of danger called to his two friends. They came out and asked the deer what had befallen him. He said:—"My name is Chitranga, and I claim your protection." So they took him into their company, and all four lived pleasantly together.
One day the deer went out alone to graze, and when he did not return at the usual hour they feared lest evil may have befallen him. '
They debated which of them should go in search of him. At last the crow said:—"I am the swiftest of birds, and will fly off and learn what has befallen him." He flew and flew high up in the air until he came to the place where the deer had fallen into a snare. The deer delighted to see his friend, said:—"No time must be lost. Hasten and bring the rat Hiranayaka to gnaw the cords of the snare." So the crow went, and placing the rat on his back speedily flew back with him. When the rat succeeded in extricating the deer they asked him how he had fallen into this fresh disaster. "No creature," said he, "can escape his fate. When I was a little fawn one day I fell into a snare, was caught by a hunter and taken to the king's palace. There I was reared as a pet and golden ornaments were hung on my neck. One day when wandering in the city I was chased by boys but the ladies of the royal seraglio found me and tied me up near the chamber of the king. That night a heavy storm of rain came on and I cried out in my joy:—'How delightful is this rain! How sweet the grass will grow for me to eat.' The king wondered to hear a beast talk in the tongue of men, and next day sent for the astrologers and told them what he had heard. They said:—'For a beast to know human speech is an event of ill omen. Your Majesty should perform rites of expiation and send the deer to a distant forest.' So they sent me from that abode of peace and safety and I came to the forest where, as you know, I fell into the snare of the hunter."
Meanwhile the tortoise was anxiously expecting his friends the crow and the rat, and was delighted when they returned after rescuing the deer.
As they were talking the hunter came up and missing the deer from the snare followed his touches. The crow again espied him and warned his friends. The rat got into a hole, the crow flow away and the deer hid himself in a thicket. But the hunter secured the tortoise and was carrying him off when the rat said to the deer:—"You must repay us for rescuing you by saving the tortoise. Go into this pond, and lie down as if you were dead : the crow will sit on your back and seem as about to peck out your eyes. Then the hunter will put down the tortoise and he can escape.
They did as he planned, and the trick succeeded. The tortoise escaped and the four friends were once again united.