shall starve to death." "But," said Gold, "how can I make friends with you, with an enemy? For the proverb says:
Make no truce, however snug,
With foemen dire:
Water, even boiling hot,
Will quench a fire."
"Why," said the crow, "you do not even know me by sight. Why should there be strife? Why say a thing so little to the purpose?"
"Sir," said Gold, "strife is of two kinds, natural and incidental. Now you are in natural strife with me. And the saying goes:
By incidental means one ends
An incidental strife,
And quickly. Nature's kind endures
Until the loss of life."
"Sir," said the crow, "I should like to learn the characteristic quality of each kind." "Well," said the mouse, "incidental strife springs from a specific cause, and can therefore be removed by rendering an appropriate service. But strife rooted in nature never disappears. Thus there is enduring strife between mungoose and snake—herbivorous creatures and those armed with claws—water and fire—gods and devils—dogs and cats—rival wives—lions and elephants—hunter and deer—crow and owl—scholar and numskull—wife and harlot—saint and sinner. In these cases, nobody belonging to anybody has been killed by anybody, yet they fight to the death."
