“Quite true,” said Victor. “However:

The clever man soon penetrates
The subject’s mind, and captivates.

Cringe, and flatter him when angry;
Love his friend and hate his foe;
Duly advertise his presents —
Trust no magic — win him so.

And yet:

If a man excel in action
Learning, fluent word,

Make yourself his humble servant
While his power is stirred,
Quick to leave him at the moment
When he grows absurd.

Plant your words where profit lies:
Whiter cloth takes faster dyes.

Till you know his power and manhood,
Effort has no scope:
Moonlight’s glitter vainly rivals
Himalaya’s slope.”

And Cheek replied: “If you have made up your mind, then seek the feet of the king. Blest be your journeyings. May your purpose be accomplished.

Be heedful in the presence of the king;
We also to your health and fortune cling.”

Then Victor bowed to his friend, and went to meet Rusty.

Now when Rusty saw Victor approaching, he said to the doorkeeper: “Away with your reed of office! This is an old acquaintance, the counselor’s son Victor. He has free entrance. Let him come in. He belongs to the second circle.” So Victor entered, bowed to Rusty, and sat down on the seat indicated to him.

Then Rusty extended a right paw adorned with claws as formidable as thunderbolts, and said respectfully: “Do you enjoy health? Why has so long a time passed since you were last visible?” And Victor replied: “Even though my royal master has no present need of me, still I ought to report at the proper time. For there is nothing that may not render service to a king. As the saying goes:

To clean a tooth or scratch an ear
A straw may serve a king:
A man, with speech and action, is
A higher kind of thing.

“Besides, we who are ancestral servants of our royal master, follow him even in disasters. For us there is no other course. Now the proverb says:

Set in fit position each
Gem or serving-man;
No tiaras on the toes,
Just because you can.

Servants leave the kings who their
Qualities ignore,
Even kings of lofty line,
Wealthy, served of yore.

Lacking honor from their equals
Jobless, déclassé,
Servants give their master notice
That they will not stay.

And again:

If set in tin, a gem that would
Adorn a golden frame,
Will never scream nor fail to gleam
Yet tells its wearer’s shame.

The king who reads a servant’s mind —
Dull, faithless, faithful, wise —
May servants find of every kind
For every enterprise.

“And as for my master’s remark: ‘It is long since you were last visible,’ pray hear the reason of that:

Where just distinction is not drawn
Between the left and right,
The self-respecting, if they can,
Will quickly take to flight.

If masters no distinction make
Among their servants, then
They lose the zealous offices
Of energetic men.

And in a market where it seems
That no distinctions hold
Between red-eye and ruby, how
Can precious gems be sold?

There must be bonds of union
In all their dealings, since
No prince can lack his servants
Nor servants lack a prince.

“Yet the nature of the servant also depends on the master’s quality. As the saying goes:

In case of horse or book or sword,
Of woman, man or lute or word,
The use or uselessness depends
On qualities the user lends.

“And another point. You do wrong to despise me because I am a jackal. For

Silk comes from worms, and gold from stone;
From cow’s hair sacred grass is grown;
The water-lily springs from mud;
From cow-dung sprouts the lotus-bud;

The moon its rise from ocean takes;
And gems proceed from hoods of snakes;
From cows’ bile yellow dyestuffs come;
And fire in wood is quite at home:
The worthy, by display of worth,
Attain distinction, not by birth.

And again:

Kill, although domestic born,
Any hurtful mouse:
Bribe an alien cat who will
Help to clean the house.

And once again:

How use the faithful, lacking power?
Or strong, who evil do?
But me, O King, you should not scorn,
For I am strong and true.

Scorn not the wise who penetrate
Truth’s universal law;
They are not men to be restrained
By money’s petty straw:
When beauty glistens on their cheeks
By trickling ichor lent,
Bull-elephants feel lotus-chains
As no impediment.”

“Oh,” said Rusty, “you must not say such things. You are our counselor’s son, an old retainer.” “O King,” said Victor, “there is something that should be said.” And the king replied: “My good fellow, reveal what is in your heart.”

Then Victor began: “My master set out to take water. Why did he turn back and camp here?” And Rusty, concealing his inner feelings, said: “Victor, it just happened so.” “O King,” said the jackal, “if it is not a thing to disclose, then let it be.

Some things a man should tell his wife,
Some things to friend and some to son;
All these are trusted. He should not
Tell everything to everyone.”

Hereupon Rusty reflected: “He seems trustworthy. I will tell him what I have in mind. For the proverb says:

You find repose, in sore disaster,
By telling things to powerful master,
To honest servant, faithful friend,
Or wife who loves you till the end.

Friend Victor, did you hear a great voice in the distance?” “Yes, master, I did,” said Victor. “What of it?”

And Rusty continued: “My good fellow, I intend to leave this forest.” “Why?” said Victor. “Because,” said Rusty, “there has come into our forest some prodigious creature, from whom we hear this great voice. His nature must correspond to his voice, and his power to his nature.”

“What!” said Victor. “Is our master frightened by a mere voice? You know the proverb:

Water undermines the dikes;
Love dissolves when malice strikes;
Secrets melt when babblings start;
Simple words melt dastard hearts.

So it would be improper if our master abruptly left the forest which was won by his ancestors and has been so long in the family. For they say:

Wisely move one foot; the other
Should its vantage hold;
Till assured of some new dwelling,
Do not leave the old.

“Besides, many kinds of sounds are heard here. Yet they are nothing but noises, not a warning of danger. For example, we hear the sounds made by thunder, wind among the reeds, lutes, drums, tambourines, conch-shells, bells, wagons, banging doors, machines, and other things. They are nothing to be afraid of. As the verse says:

If a king be brave, however
Fierce the foe and grim,
Sorrows of humiliation
Do not wait for him.

And again:

Bravest bosoms do not falter,
Fearing heaven’s threat:
Summer dries the pools; the Indus
Rises, greater yet.

And once again:

Mothers bear on rare occasions
To the world a chief,
Glad in luck and brave in battle,
Undepressed in grief.

And yet again:

Do not act as does the grass-blade,
Lacking honest pride,
Drooping low in feeble meanness,
Lightly brushed aside.

My master must take this point of view and reinforce his resolution, not fear a mere sound. As the saying goes:

I thought at first that it was full
Of fat; I crept within
And there I did not find a thing
Except some wood and skin.”

“How was that?” asked Rusty. And Victor told the story of THE JACKAL AND THE WAR-DRUM.

The Jackal and the War-Drum

In a certain region was a jackal whose throat was pinched by hunger. While wandering in search of food, he came upon a king’s battle ground in the midst of a forest. And as he lingered a moment there he heard a great sound.

This sound troubled his heart exceedingly, so that he fell into deep dejection and said: “Ah me! Disaster is upon me. I am as good as dead already. Who made that sound? What kind of a creature?”

But on peering about, he spied a war-drum that loomed like a mountain-peak, and he thought: “Was that sound its natural voice, or was it induced from without?” Now when the drum was struck by the tips of grasses swaying in the wind, it made the sound, but was dumb at other times.

So he recognized its helplessness, and crept quite near. Indeed, his curiosity led him to strike it himself on both heads, and he became gleeful at the thought: “Aha! After long waiting food comes even to me. For this is sure to be stuffed with meat and fat.”

Having come to this conclusion, he picked a spot, gnawed a hole, and crept in. And though the leather covering was tough, still he had the luck not to break his teeth. But he was disappointed to find it pure wood and skin, and recited a stanza:

Its voice was fierce; I thought it stuffed
With fat, so crept within;
And there I did not find a thing
Except some wood and skin.

So he backed out, laughing to himself, and said:

I thought at first that it was full
Of fat,

and the rest of it.

“And that is why I say that one should not be troubled by a mere sound.” “But,” said Rusty, “these retainers of mine are terrified and wish to run away. So how am I to reinforce my resolution?” And Victor answered: “Master, they are not to blame. For servants take after the master. You know the proverb:

In case of horse or book or sword,
Of woman, man or lute or word,
The use or uselessness depends
On qualities the user lends.

“Then summon your manhood and remain on this spot until I return, having ascertained the nature of the creature. Then act as seems proper.” “What!” said Rusty, “are you plucky enough to go there?” And Victor answered: “When the master commands, is there any difference between ‘possible’ and ‘impossible’ to the good servant? As the proverb says:

Good servants, when their lords command,
Behold no fear on any hand,
Cross pathless seas if he desire
Or gladly enter flaming fire.

The servant who, his lord commanding,
Should strive to reach an understanding
On labors hard or easy, he
King’s counselor should never be.”

“If you feel so, my dear fellow,” said Rusty, “then go. Blest be your journeyings.”

So Victor bowed low and set out in the direction of the sound made by Lively. And when he was gone, terror troubled Rusty’s heart, so that he thought: “Ah, I made a sad mistake in trusting him to the point of revealing what is in my mind. Perhaps this Victor will betray me by taking wages from both parties, or from spite at losing his job. For the proverb says:

A servant suffering from a king
Dishonor after honoring,
Though born and trained to service, will
Be eager to destroy him still.

“So I will go elsewhere and wait, in order to learn his purpose. Perhaps Victor might even bring the thing along and try to kill me. As the saying goes:

The trustful strong are caught
By weaker foes with ease;
The wary weak are safe
From strongest enemies.”

Thus he set his mind in order, went elsewhere, and waited all alone, spying on Victor’s procedure.

Meanwhile Victor drew near to Lively, discovered that he was a bull, and reflected gleefully: “Well, well! This is lucky. I shall get Rusty into my power by dangling before him war or peace with this fellow. As the proverb puts it:

All counselors draw profit from
A king in worries pent,
And that is why they always wish
For him, embarrassment.

As men in health require no drug
Their vigor to restore,
So kings, relieved of worry, seek
Their counselors no more.”

With these thoughts in mind, he returned to meet Rusty. And Rusty, seeing him coming, assumed his former attitude in an effort to put a good face on the matter. So when Victor had come near, had bowed low, and had seated himself, Rusty said: “My good fellow, did you see the creature?” “I saw him,” said Victor, “through my master’s grace.” “Are you telling the truth?” asked Rusty. And Victor answered: “How could I report anything else to my gracious master? For the proverb says:

Whoever makes before a king
Small statements, but untrue,
Brings certain ruin on his gods
And on his teacher, too.

And again:

The king incarnates all the gods,
So sing the sages old;
Then treat him like the gods: to him
Let nothing false be told.

And once again:

The king incarnates all the gods,
Yet with a difference:
He pays for good or ill at once;
The gods, a lifetime hence.”

“Yes,” said Rusty, “I suppose you really did see him. The great do not become angry with the mean. As the proverb says:

The hurricane innocuous passes
O’er feeble, lowly bending grasses,
But tears at lofty trees: the great
Their prowess greatly demonstrate.”

And Victor replied: “I knew beforehand that my master would speak thus. So why waste words? I will bring the creature into my gracious master’s presence.” And when Rusty heard this, joy overspread his lotus-face, and his mind felt supreme satisfaction.

Meanwhile Victor returned and called reproachfully to Lively: “Come here, you villainous bull! Come here! Our master Rusty asks why you are not afraid to keep up this meaningless bellowing.” And Lively answered: “My good fellow, who is this person named Rusty?”

“What!” said Victor, “you do not even know our master Rusty?” And he continued with indignation: “The consequences will teach you. He has a retinue of all kinds of animals. He dwells beside the spreading banyan tree. His heart is high with pride. He is lord of life and wealth. His name is Rusty. He is a mighty lion.”

When Lively heard this, he thought himself as good as dead, and he fell into deep dejection, saying: “My dear fellow, you appear to be sympathetic and eloquent. So if you cannot avoid conducting me there, pray cause the master to grant me a gracious safe-conduct.” “You are quite right,” said Victor. “Your request shows savoir faire. For

The earth has a limit,
The mountains, the sea;
The deep thoughts of kings are
Without boundary.

Do you then remain in this spot. Later, when I have held him to an agreement, I will conduct you to him.”

Then Victor returned to Rusty and said: “Master, he is no ordinary creature. He has served as the vehicle of blessèd Shiva. And when I questioned him, he said: ‘Great Shiva was satisfied with me and bade me crop the grass beside the Jumna. Why make a long story of it? The blessèd one has given me this forest as a playground.’”

At this Rusty was frightened, and he said: “I knew it, I knew it. Only by special favor of the gods do creatures wander in a wild wood, bellowing like that, and fearlessly cropping the grass. But what did you say?”

“Master,” said Victor, “I said: ‘This forest is the domain of Rusty, vehicle of Shiva’s passionate wife. Hence you come as a guest. You must meet him, must spend your time in brotherly love, must eat, drink, work, play, and make your home with him.’ All this he promised, adding: ‘You must make your master grant me a safe-conduct.’ As to that, the master is the sole judge.”

At this Rusty was delighted and said: “Splendid, my intelligent servant, splendid! You must have taken counsel with my own heart before speaking. I grant him a safe-conduct. You must hasten to conduct him here, but not until he too has bound himself by oath toward me. Yes, there is sound sense in the saying:

Polished, fully tested,
Sturdy too, and straight
Are the pillars proper
To a house — or state.

Again:

Wit is shown in hours of crisis:
Doctors’ wit, in sore disease;
Counselors’, in patching friendship —
All are wise in hours of ease.”

Now Victor thought, as he set out to meet Lively: “Well, well! The master is gracious to me and ready to do my bidding. So there is none more blest than I. For

Four things are nectar: milky food;
A fire in chilly weather;
An honor granted by the king;
And loved ones, come together.”

So he found Lively, and said respectfully: “My friend, I won the old master’s favor for you, and made him give you a safe-conduct. You may go without anxiety. Still, though you have favor in the eyes of the king, you must act in agreement with me. You must not play the haughty master. I for my part, in alliance with you, will take the rôle of counselor, and bear the whole burden of administration. Thus we shall both enjoy royal affluence. For

A sinful chase — yet men can stalk
The treasures of the crown:
One starts the quarry from its lair;
Another strikes it down.

And again:

Whoever is too haughty to
Pay king’s retainers honor due,
Will find his feet are tottering —
So merchant Strong-Tooth with the king.”

“How was that?” asked Lively. And Victor told the story of MERCHANT STRONG-TOOTH.

Merchant Strong-Tooth

There is a city called Growing City on the earth’s surface. In it lived a merchant named Strong-Tooth who directed the whole administration. So long as he handled city business and royal business, all the inhabitants were satisfied. Why spin it out? Nobody ever saw or heard of his like for cleverness. For there is much wisdom in the proverb:

Suppose he minds the king’s affairs,
The common people hate him;
And if he plays the democrat,
The prince will execrate him:
So, since the struggling interests
Are wholly contradictory,
A manager is hard to find
Who gives them both the victory.

While he occupied this position, he once had a daughter married. To the wedding he invited all the townspeople and the king’s entourage, paid them much honor, feasted them, and regaled them with gifts of garments and the like. And when the wedding was over, he conducted the king home with his ladies and showed him reverence.

Now the king had a house-cleaning drudge named Bull, who took a seat that did not belong to him — this in the very palace, and in the presence of the king’s professor. So Strong-Tooth administered a cuffing and drove him out. From that moment the humiliation so rankled in Bull’s inner soul that he had no rest even at night. Yet he thought: “After all, why should I grow thin? It does me no good. For I cannot possibly hurt him. And there is sense in the saying:

Indulge no angry, shameless wish
To hurt, unless you can:
The chick-pea, hopping up and down,
Will crack no frying-pan.”

Now one morning, as he was sweeping near the bed where the king lay half awake, he said: “What impudence! Strong-Tooth kisses the queen.” When the king heard this, he jumped up in a hurry, crying: “Come, come, Bull! Is that thing true that you were muttering? Has the queen been kissed by Strong-Tooth?”

“O King,” answered Bull, “I was awake all night because I am passionately fond of gambling. So sleep overpowered me even when I was busy with my sweeping. I do not know what I said.”