XX.
THE SWAN AND THE CROW.
A crow perched on a banyan tree near the sea-shore, saw a swan passing by and asked where it was going, to which the latter replied that it was going to the Manasasaras. The crow thereupon was extremely anxious to accompany the swan, and requested the latter to take it along with it. The swan, hearing these words, said, "O crow, where is the Manasasaras and where are you ? How great is the distance between you and the saras?" The crow was very much enraged at the reply, and said, "You speak without knowing what you are about. If you examine the real truth, you will find that I can fly quicker than yourself. I will exemplify this at once—do you set out and come with me?" So saying, it soared up the skies and went a short distance along with the swan. Afterwards it flew ten yards in advance, and again coming back to the swan said jocosely. "Why, you said something about flying quicker than I, and yet you don't accompany me; the fact of the matter is that you, without looking into your own powers, had trifled with me." By the time that the crow had gone a little further, it became tired and unable to fly along and was in sore distress. The swan thereupon laughing placed it on its own wings and prevented it from falling into the waters below, brought it to the shore and left it there.
Thus an impotent fool, who begins by despising the strong and the good, will, in the end, come to degradation.