ONCE upon a time there was a Stag living in a certain jungle, and in the
same jungle lived a Crow. These two were bosom friends. Why a Stag
should take a fancy to a Crow, I cannot say; but so it was; and if you
do not believe it, you had better not read any further.
It so befell that a Jackal came by one day, and his eye fell on this
Stag, and a fine plump Stag he was. The Jackal's mouth began to water.
How he would like to make a meal of so dainty a piece of flesh. But he
knew it was of no use trying to attack the Stag, who seemed very strong.
Still, by hook or by crook, that Stag he would have. So in the depths of
his cunning heart he concocted a trick, of which you shall shortly hear.
The Jackal watched his chance, and as soon as he had found the Stag
alone, he began to say, sidling up to the Stag, and whispering in his
ear--
"Beware of that Crow; he's fooling thee. Beware, beware all birds of the
air. There's no trusting any bird, let alone a Crow, who is worst of
the whole feathered tribe. Now you and I, who never try in the air to
fly, good honest gentlemen with four legs apiece, we are marked out for
friends by Nature herself."
Will you be surprised to hear that the Stag listened to the crafty and
slanderous words, and deserted his friend the Crow? When your hair is
grey you will know that such is the way of the world, and that a true
friend who sticks to the end, is harder to find than a diamond mine.
But although this Stag was shallow-hearted and weak, not so the Crow. He
was a true friend, and he was cut to the heart by the unkindness of his
friend the Stag; but he wasted no time in fruitless tears. He went about
his work as usual, and waited for a chance of winning back his recreant
friend.
Well, Stag and Jackal scoured about the woods together, and the Jackal
did his best to make himself agreeable. In this he had poor success; for
though the Stag tried hard to like his new comrade, yet he could not
help seeing that he was dirty; moreover, the Jackal ate all sorts of
dead animals, but the Stag was a vegetarian, and did not approve of this
kind of food. But though the Stag had qualms now and again, he was not
strong enough to break loose from the friendship of the Jackal.
But the time was ripening for the Jackal's blow. He knew a place where
huntsmen used to set gins and snares, to catch the wild animals. So one
day, as he and the Stag were out a-walking together, the Jackal so
managed that they passed by this place. The Jackal took good care to
keep clear of the snare; but the innocent Stag knew nothing of snares or
gins, so into a snare he stept, and snap! he was fast.
Now was the time for a true friend to show his friendship. But the
Jackal, as we already know, was a humbug; accordingly, all he did was to
sit by the side of the Stag, and try not to look pleased.
"Oh dear, what shall I do?" said the Stag, when he found himself caught.
"Oh my friend, do help me out."
"You shock me, friend," said the Jackal, pulling a long face; "surely
you have not forgotten that it is Sunday? We are told in the Ten
Commandments to do no work on the Sabbath day. If it were not so, how
gladly would I help you!" So saying, he wiped away a crocodile tear. He
sat down and waited in the hope that the Stag would die, and then he
would eat him.
But the faithful Crow was not far. Though his friend the Stag would not
so much as cast him a look, the Crow followed him ever, biding his time;
and now the time had come.