one day as he sat at his ease in a dry spot at the entrance to the cave a certain big black-faced monkey, wandering about in this locality, wet and shivering with cold, chanced to see the other as he sat in his retreat.
Thought he, "By some artifice I'll get him out of that snug place and live there myself." So letting his pouch hang down (as if it were well-filled with food) he placed himself in front of the other, looking as if he had just partaken of a good meal, and uttered the following gâtha:—
"Oh! stay not here, come leave thy poor abode,
Go eat of mangos ripe and other fruits.
As I have done, and make a hearty meal.
Why live on here and die for want of food?"
The little monkey gave credence to the other's speech, and left the nest eager to enjoy the various kinds of fruits (that the other had described). He wandered about, hither and thither, without finding anything to eat. But when he returned to his old quarters he saw the big monkey sitting within the cave. He thought to himself, "I'll play him a trick (in return)." Standing in front of him (as if he, too, had had a good meal) he gave utterance to the following gâtha:—
"O happy is he who honours grey hairs,
And gives way to old age, as I now have done,[1]
Like me will he fare on lascivious ripe fruits,
Which to-day I did gather from the trees you described."
On hearing this the black-faced monkey replied:—
"Oh I have you not heard of monkey's sly tricks,
How they cheat one another whenever they can?
No giddy young thing would believe your fine speech,
Much less an old fellow like him you see here."
On hearing this he (the little monkey) went away from that place (and took up his quarters elsewhere).
(To be continued.)
- ↑ i.e. letting the big monkey have his quarters.
