What is to be done must be done with despatch.  After censuring his treason, would your Majesty still trust the traitor?—­

    ’Whoso unto ancient fondness takes again a faithless friend,
    Like she-mules that die conceiving, in his folly finds his end,’

‘But wherein can the Bull injure me?’ asked Tawny-hide; ‘tell me that!’

‘Sire,’ replied the Jackal, how can I tell it?—­

    ’Ask who his friends are, ere you scorn your foe;
    The Wagtail foiled the sea, that did not so,’

‘How could that be?’ demanded King Tawny-hide.

’The Jackal related:—­

THE STORY OF THE WAGTAIL AND THE SEA

“On the shore of the Southern Sea there dwelt a pair of Wagtails.  The Hen-bird was about to lay, and thus addressed her mate:—­

‘Husband, we must look about for a fit place to lay my eggs.’

‘My dear,’ replied the Cock-bird, ‘will not this spot do?’

‘This spot!’ exclaimed the Hen; ‘why, the tide overflows it.’

‘Good dame,’ said the Cock, ’am I so pitiful a fellow that the Sea will venture to wash the eggs out of my nest?’

‘You are my very good Lord,’ replied the Hen, with a laugh; ’but still there is a great difference between you and the Sea.’

“Afterwards, however, at the desire of her mate, she consented to lay her eggs on the sea-beach.  Now the Ocean had overheard all this, and, bent upon displaying its strength, it rose and washed away the nest and eggs.  Overwhelmed with grief, the Hen-bird flew to her mate, and cried:—­

‘Husband, the terrible disaster has occurred!  My eggs arc gone!’

‘Be of good heart! my Life,’ answered he.

“And therewith he called a meeting of fowls, and went with them into the presence of Gurud, the Lord of the birds.  When the Master of the Mighty Wing had listened to their complaint, he conveyed it to the knowledge of the God Narayen, who keeps, and kills, and makes alive the world.  The almighty mandate given, Gurud bound it upon his forehead, and bore it to the Ocean, which, so soon as it heard the will of Narayen, at once gave back the eggs.

‘How, indeed,’ concluded Damanaka, ’should I judge of the Bull’s power, not knowing who supports him?’

‘By what signs, then,’ asked the King, ‘may I conclude him a traitor?’

’If he comes into the presence with his horns lowered for goring, as one that expects the fight.  That,’ replied the Jackal, ’will convince your Majesty,’

’Thereupon Damanaka the Jackal withdrew, and betook himself towards the Bull, upon perceiving whom he approached slowly, with all the air of one greatly distressed.

‘Good master Jackal,’ said Lusty-life, ‘what goes amiss with thee?’

‘All goes amiss with such as serve wicked masters,’ replied the Jackal.

‘But what ails thee?’ asked the Bull.