Page:The Enchanted Parrot.djvu/124

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120
THE ENCHANTED PARROT


Wise men say, ' There can be no friendship between creatures that live on land and those that live in the water.' " So the crocodile turned back and went sadly home, and the moral is: That he who has wit enough, can get out of difficulties, whatever they may be.

STORY LXVIII

IN Vidyasthâna, a Brâhman village, lived a certain Brâhman called Keśava. One day he was going to bathe in the lake, when he met the charming daughter of a merchant. He immediately fell in love with her. Soon after this he was coming back from his bath, and he met her again. She had a pitcher of water, and she asked him if he would kindly help her to put it on her head. He gladly assented and as he was helping her up with the jug, he kissed her. Her father happened to be close by, and saw this, so he summoned Keśava for assaulting his daughter. The Brâhman was placed in a diificulty, but he had a friend whose name was Vitarka, and he hearing what had happened went to the Brâhman and said: " My dear fellow ! Listen to me; when you come before the court.