creep on you for evil. A king slays with his smile; he may pay honour, but he is dangerous; the elephant kills with a touch, the serpent with a caress.'
" I have served the king," continued the Brâhman, " faithfully all these years, yet he has become my enemy, and will send me and my fellow Brâhmans into exile. It has been said —
" ' A man may give up something for the sake of his family;
He may give up his family for the sake of his village;
He may give up his village for the sake of his country;
But he will give up the whole world to save his life.' "
When the Brâhman's daughter heard that she said: " This, father, is all very true, but no respect will be paid to a servant that has been sent adrift by his master.
" For it has been said —
" ' A man may be of the highest character, or very commonplace. If he devotes himself to the service of the ruler, whichever he may be, he will get nothing out of it. The king will take the first man he comes across, be he ignorant, or learned, honourable or dishonourable, into his service; for
