Folk-lore of the Telugus/The Cat and the Mouse
XLII.
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.
There was once a large banyan tree in the midst of an extensive forest, covered with many kinds of creepers, which was the resort of a number of birds and animals. A mouse of great wisdom lived at its foot, having made a hole there with a hundred outlets, and in the branches there lived a cat in great happiness, daily devouring many birds.
Now it happened that a Chandala came into the forest and built a hut for himself, and every evening after sunset he spread his traps, made of leathern strings. Many animals fell into his traps every night, and it so happened that one day the cat, in a moment of heedlessness, was caught.
As soon as his foe the cat was caught, the mouse came out of his hole and began to rove about fearlessly. While trustfully roving through the forest in search of food, the mouse after a little while saw the meat that the Chandala had spread in his trap as a lure. Gretting upon the trap the little animal began to eat the flesh, and even got upon his enemy entangled hopelessly in it. Intent upon eating the flesh, he did not mark his own danger, until suddenly he saw another terrible foe in the person of a restless mungoose with fiery eyes, standing on his haunches, with head upraised, licking the corners of his mouth with his tongue. At the same time he beheld yet another foe sitting on a branch of the banyan tree in the shape of a sharp-beaked night-jar.
Encompassed on all sides by danger, and seeing fear in every direction, the mouse, filled with alarm for his safety, made a high resolve. Of his three enemies the cat was in dire distress, and so the mouse, conversant with the science of profit and well acquainted with the occasions on which war should be declared or peace made, gently addressed the cat, saying:—
"I address thee in friendship, cat! Art thou alive? I wish thee to live! I desire the good of us both. O amiable one, thou hast no cause for fear. Thou shalt live in happiness. I will rescue thee, if, indeed, thou dost not slay me. An excellent expedient suggests itself to me, by which thou mayest escape and I obtain great benefit. By reflecting earnestly I have hit upon that expedient for thy sake and for my sake, for it will benefit both of us. There are the mungoose and the owl, both waiting with evil intent. Only so long, cat, as they do not attack me, is my life safe. Possessed of wisdom as thou art, thou art my friend and I will act towards thee as a friend. Without my help, cat, thou canst not succeed in tearing the net, but I can cut the net for thee, if thou abstain from killing me. Thou hast lived on this tree and I have lived at its foot. Both of us have dwelt here for many long-years. All this is known to thee. He, upon whom nobody places his trusty and he who never trusts another, are never applauded by the wise. Both of them are unhappy. For this reason, let our love for each other increase and let there be union between us. The wise never applaud endeavour when the opportunity for success has passed away. Know that this is the proper time for such an understanding between us. I wish thee to live, and thou also wishest me to live. This our compact also will bring happiness to us both. I will rescue thee and thou wilt also rescue me."
Hearing these well-chosen words, fraught with reason and highly acceptable, the cat spoke in reply:—"I am delighted with thee, amiable one, blessed be thou that wishest me to live. Do that, without hesitation, which thou thinkest will be of use. I am certainly in great distress. Thou art, if possible, in greater distress still. Let there be a compact between us without delay. If thou rescuest me, thy service shall not go for nothing. I place myself in thy hands. I will wait upon and serve thee like a disciple. I seek thy protection, and will always obey thy behests."
Thus addressed, the mouse, addressing in return the cat who was completely under his control, said these words of grave import and high wisdom:—" Thou hast spoken most magnanimously. It could scarcely be unexpected from one like thee. Listen to me as I disclose my expedient. I will crouch beneath thy body and so shalt thou save me from the owl and the mungoose, and I will cut the noose that entangles thee. I swear by Truth, friend."
The mouse, having thus made the cat understand his own interest, trustfully crouched beneath his enemy's body. Possessed of learning, and thus assured by the cat, the mouse trustfully laid himself thus under the breast of the cat as if it were the lap of his father or mother. Beholding him thus ensconced the mungoose and the owl both became hopeless of seizing their prey. Indeed, seeing the close intimacy between the mouse and the cat, the owl and the mungoose became alarmed and were filled with wonder, and felt themselves unable to wean the mouse and the cat from their compact. So they both left the spot and went away to their respective abodes.
After this the mouse, conversant with the requirements of time and place, began, as he lay under the body of the eat, to cut the strings of the noose slowly, waiting for a fitting opportunity to finish his work. Distressed by the strings that entangled him, the cat became impatient and said:—"How is it, O amiable one, that thou dost not proceed with haste in thy work? Dost thou disregard me now, having thyself succeeded in thy object? Cut these strings quickly! The hunter will soon be here."
But the mouse, possessed of intelligence, replied with these beneficial words fraught with his own good:—"Wait in silence, O amiable one! Chase all thy fears away. We know the requirements of time. We are not wasting it. When an act is begun at an improper moment, it never becomes profitable when accomplished. If thou art freed at an unseasonable moment, I shall stand in great dread of thee. Do thou, therefore, await the opportunity. When I see the hunter approach the spot armed with weapons, I shall cut the strings at the moment of dire fear to both of us. Freed then, thou wilt ascend the tree. At that time thou wilt not think of anything but thy own life, and it is then that I shall enter my hole in safety."
The cat, who had quickly and properly performed his part of the covenant, now addressed the mouse, who was not expeditious in discharging his:—"I rescued thee from a terrible danger with great promptness, so thou shouldst do what is for my good with greater expedition. If I have ever unconsciously done thee any wrong, thou shouldst not bear this in remembrance. I beg thy forgiveness. Be a little quicker."
But the mouse, possessed of intelligence and wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures, replied with these excellent words:—"That friendship in which there is fear, and which cannot be kept without fear, should be maintained with great caution, like the hand of the snake charmer at the snake's fangs. He who does not protect himself after having made a covenant with one that is stronger, finds that covenant productive of injury instead of benefit. Nobody is anybody's friend, nobody is anybody's well-wisher; persons become friends or foes only from motives of interest. Interest enlists interest, even as tame elephants help to catch wild individuals of their own species. When a kind act has been accomplished, the doer is scarcely regarded. For this reason, all acts soould be so done that something may remain to be done. So when I set thee free in the presence of the hunter, thou wilt fly for thy life without ever thinking of seizing me. Behold all the strings of this net but one have been cut by me, and I will cut that in time. Be comforted."
While the mouse and the cat were thus talking together, both in serious danger, the night gradually wore away, and a great and terrible fear filled the heart of the cat. When at last morning came, the Chandala appeared on the scene. His visage was frightful. His hair was black and tawny. His lips were very large and his aspect very fierce. A huge mouth extended from ear to ear, and his ears were very long. Armed with weapons and accompanied by a pack of dogs, this grim-looking man appeared on the scene. Beholding one that resembled a messenger of Yama, the cat was penetrated through and through with fright. But the mouse had very quickly cut the remaining string, and the cat ran with speed up the banyan tree. The mouse also quickly fled into his hole. The hunter, who had seen everything, took up the net and quickly left the spot.
Liberated from his great peril, the cat, from the branches of the tree, addressed the mouse:—"I hope thou dost not suspect me of any evil intent. Having given me my life, why dost thou not approach me at a time when friends should enjoy the sweetness of friendship? I have been honored and served by thee to the best of thy power. It behoveth thee now to enjoy the company of my poor self who has become thy friend. Like disciples worshipping their preceptor, all the friends I have, all my relatives and kinsmen, will honour and worship thee. I myself, too, will worship thee. Be thou the lord of my body and home. Be thou the disposer of all my wealth and possessions. Be thou my honored counsellor, and do thou rule me like a father. I swear by my life that thou hast no fear from us." But the mouse, conversant with all that is productive of the highest good, replied in sweet words that were beneficial to himself:—"Hear how the matter appears to me. Friends should be well examined. Foes also should be well studied. In this world a task like this is regarded by even the learned as a difficult one, depending upon acute intelligence. Friends assume the guise of foes, and foes of friends. When compacts of friendship are formed, it is difficult for either party to Understand why the other party is moved. There is no such thing as a foe. There is no such thing in existence as a friend. It is the force of circumstances that creates friends and foes. He who regards his own interests ensured as long as another person lives, and thinks them endangered when another person will cease to live, takes that other person for a friend and considers him such as long as those interests of his are not interfered with. There is no condition that deserves permanently the name either of friendship or hostility. Both arise from considerations of interest and gain. Self-interest is very powerful. He who reposes blind trust in friends, and always behaves with mistrust towards foes without paying any regard to considerations of policy, finds his life unsafe. He who, disregarding all considerations of policy, sets his heart upon an affectionate union with either friends or foes, comes to be regarded as a person whose understanding has been unhinged. One should never repose trust in a person undeserving of trust. Father, mother, son, maternal uncle, sister's son, all are guided by considerations of interest and profit.
"Thou tellest me in sweet words that I am very dear to thee. Hear, however, friend, the reasons that exist on my side. One becomes dear from an adequate cause. One becomes a foe from an adequate cause. This whole world of creatures is moved by the desire of gain in some form or other. The friendship between two uterine brothers, the love between husband and wife, depends upon interest. I do not know any kind of affection between any persons that does not rest upon some motive of self-interest. One becomes dear for one's liberality, another for his sweet words, a third in consequence of his religious acts. Generally a person becomes dear for the purpose he serves. The affection between us two arose from a sufficient cause. That cause exists no longer. On the other hand, from adequate reason, that affection between us has come to an end. What is that reason, I ask, for which I have become so dear to thee,besides thy desire of making me thy prey? Thou shouldst know that I am not forgetful of this. Time spoils reasons. Thou seekest thy own interests. Others, however, possessed of wisdom, understand theirown interests too.
"Guided, however, by my own interests, I myself am firm in peace and war that are themselves very unstable. The circumstances under which peace is to be made or war declared are changed as quickly as the clouds change their form. This very day thou wert my foe. This very day again thou wert my friend. This very day thou hast once more become my enemy. Behold the levity of the considerations that move living creatures. There was friendship between us as long as there was reason for its existence. That reason, dependent on time, has passed away. Without it, that friendship has also passed away. Thou art by nature my foe. From circumstances thou becamest my friend. That state of things has passed away. The old state of enemity that is natural has come back. Through thy power I was freed from a great danger. Through my power thou hast been freed from a similar danger. Each of us has served the other. There is no need of uniting ourselves again in friendly intercourse. amiable one, the object thou hadst has been accomplished. The object I had has also been accomplished. Thou hast now no need for me except to make me thy food. I am thy food. Thou art the eater. I am weak. Thou art strong. There cannot be a friendly union between us when we are situated so unequally. I know that thou art hungry. I know that it is thy hour for taking food. Thou art seeking for thy prey, with thy eyes directed towards me. Thou hast sons and wives. Seeing me with thee, would not thy dear spouse and thy loving children cheerfully eat me up?" Thus soundly rebuked by the mouse, the cat, blushing with shame, addressed the mouse:—
"Truly I swear that to injure a friend is, in my estimation, very censurable. It doth not behove thee, O good friend, to take me for what I am not. I cherish a great friendship for thee in consequence of thy having granted me my life. I am, again, acquainted with the meaning of duty. I am an appreciator of other people's merits. I am very grateful for services received. I am devoted to the service of friends. I am, again, especially devoted to thee. For these reasons, O good friend, it behoveth thee to re-unite thyself with me. O thou that art acquainted with the truths of morality, it behoveth thee not to cherish any suspicion in respect of me."
Then the mouse, reflecting a little, replied with these words of grave import:—"Thou art exceedingly kind. But for all that, I cannot trust thee. I tell thee, O friend, the wise never place themselves, without sufficient reason, in the power of a foe. Having gained his object, the weaker of two parties should not again repose confidence in the stronger. One should never trust a person who does not deserve to be trusted. Nor should one repose blind confidence in one deserving of trust. One should always endeavour to inspire foes with confidence in himself. One should not, however, himself repose confidence in foes. In brief, the highest truth of all in reference to policy is mistrust. For this reason, mistrust of all persons is productive of the greatest good. One like myself should always guard his life from persons like thee. Do thou also protect they life from the Chandala who is now very angry."
While the mouse thus spake, the cat, frightened at the mention of the hunter, hastily leaving the tree ran away with great speed, and the mouse also sought shelter in a hole somewhere else.