Jataka 157 Guna
Guna Jataka
Once upon a time, while Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was a Lion living in a cave on the hills. One day he came out from his lair and looked towards the mountain foot. Now all round the foot of that mountain stretched a great piece of water. Upon some ground that rose out of this was a quantity of soft green grass, growing on the thick mud, and over this mud ran rabbits and deer and such light creatures, eating of the grass. On that day, as usual, there was a deer eating grass upon it.
"I'll have that deer!" thought the Lion; and with a lion's leap he sprang from the hillside towards it. But the deer, frightened to death, scampered away belling. The Lion could not stop his onset; down on the mud he fell, and sank in, so that he could not get out; and there he remained seven days, his feet fixed like four posts, with not a morsel to eat.
Then a Jackal, hunting for food, chanced to see him; and set off running in high terror. But the Lion called out to him "I say, Jackal, don't run here am I, caught fast in the mud. Please save me!" Up came the Jackal. "I could pull you out," says he, "but I much fear that once out you might eat me." "Fear nothing, I wont eat you," says the Lion. "On the contrary, I'll do you great service only get me out somehow."
The Jackal, accepting this promise, worked away the mud around his four feet, and the holes wherein his four feet were fixed he dug further towards the water; then the water ran in, and made the mud soft. Then he got underneath the Lion, saying "Now, sir, one great effort," making a loud noise and striking the Lion's belly with his head. The Lion strained every nerve, and scrambled out of the mud; he stood on dry land. After a moment's rest, he plunged in the lake, and washed and scoured the mud from him. Then he killed a buffalo, and with his fangs tore up its flesh, of which he proffered some to the Jackal, saying, “East, comrade!” and himself after the Jackal had done did eat too. After this, the Jackal took a piece in his mouth. “What’s that for?” the Lion asked. “For your humble servant my mate, who awaits me at home.” “All right,” says the Lion, taking a bit for his own mate. “Come, comrade,” says he again, “Let us stay awhile on the mountain top, and then go to the lady’s house.” So there they went, and the Lion fed the she jackal; and after they were both satisfied, said he, “Now I am going to take care of you.” So he conducted them to the place where he dwelt, and settled them in a cave never to the entrance of his own.
Ever after that, he and the Jackal used to go a hunting together, leaving their mates behind; all kinds of creatures they would kill, and eat to their hearts’ content, and then bring back some for the two others. And as time went on, the she Jackal and the Lioness had each two cubs, and they all lived happily together.
One day, a sudden thought struck the Lioness. “My Lions seems very fond of the Jackal and his mate and young ones. What if there be something wrong between them! That must be the cause why he is so fond of them, I suppose. Well, I will plague her and frighten her, and get her away from this place.”
So when the Lion and the Jackal were away on the hunt, she plagued and terrified the Jackal’s mate, asking her why she stayed there, why she did not run away? And her cubs frightened the young jackals after the same fashion. The she Jackal told her mate what had been said. “It is clear,” said she, “that the Lion must have dropt a hint about us. We have been here a long time; and now he will be the death of us. Let us go back to the place where we lived before!”
On hearing this, the Jackal approached the Lion, with these words. “Master, we have been here a long time. Those who stay too long outstay their welcome. While we are away, your Lioness scolds and terrifies my mate, by asking why she stays, and telling her to begone; your young ones do the same to mine. If any one does not like a neighbour, he should just bid him go, and send him about his business; what is the use of all this plaguing?” So saying, he repeated the first stanza.
“The strong will always have their way; it is their nature so to do;
Your mate roars loud; and now I say I fear what once I trusted to.”
The Lion listened; then turning to his Lioness, “Wife,” said he, “you remember how once I was out hunting for a week, and then brought back this Jackal and his mate with me?” “Yes, I remember.” “well, do you know why I stayed away all that week?” “No, Sir.” “My wife, in trying to catch a deer, I made a mistake, and stuck fast in the mud; there I stayed for I could not get out a whole week without food. My life was saved by this Jackal. This my friend saved my life! A friend in need is a friend indeed, be he great or small. Never again must you put a slight upon my comrade, or his wife, or his family." And then the Lion repeated the second stanza.
"A friend who plays a friendly part, however small and weak he be,
He is my kinsman and my flesh and blood, a friend and comrade he;
Despise him not, my sharp fanged mate! This Jackal saved my life for me."
The Lioness, when she heard this tale, made her peace with the Jackal's mate, and ever after lived at amity with her and her young ones. And the young of the two pairs played together in their early days, and when the parents died, they did not break the bond of friendship, but lived happily together as the old ones had lived before them. Indeed, the friendship remained unbroken through seven generations.