’In course of time the first Crane, who had been sent as a spy, came back, and made his report.  He related that the Vulture had advised his Sovereign to summon Night-cloud, the Crow, and learn from him regarding King Silver-sides’ intentions.  Night-cloud attended accordingly.

‘Crow!’ asked King Jewel-plume, ’what sort of a Monarch is the Rajah Silver-sides?’

‘Truthful, may it please you,’ replied the Crow; ’and therewithal noble as Yudisthira himself.’

‘And his Minister, the Goose?’

‘Is a Minister unrivalled, my Liege,’ said the Crow-king.

‘But how then didst thou so easily deceive them?’

‘Ah! your Majesty,’ said the Crow, ’there was little credit in that.  Is it not said?—­

    ’Cheating them that truly trust you, ’tis a clumsy villainy! 
    Any knave may slay the child who climbs and slumbers on his knee.’

Besides, the Minister detected me immediately.  It was the King whose innate goodness forbade him to suspect evil in another:—­

    ’Believe a knave, thyself scorning a lie,
    And rue it, like the Brahman, by and by.’

‘What Brahman was that?’ asked the King.  Night-cloud replied:—­

THE STORY OF THE BRAHMAN AND THE GOAT

“A Brahman that lived in the forest of Gautama, your Majesty.  He had purveyed a goat to make pooja, and was returning home with it on life shoulder when he was descried by three knaves.  ’If we could but obtain that goat,’ said they, ‘it would be a rare trick’; and they ran on, and seated themselves at the foot of three different trees upon the Brahman’s road.  Presently he came up with the first of them, who addressed him thus:  ’Master! why do you carry that dog on your shoulder?’ ‘Dog!’ said the Brahman, ‘it is a goat for sacrifice!’ With that he went on a coss, and came to the second knave; who called out—­’What doest thou with that dog, Master?’ The Brahman laid his goat upon the ground, looked it all over, took it up again upon his back, and walked on with his mind in a whirl; for—­

    ’The good think evil slowly, and they pay
    A price for faith—­as witness “Crop-ear” may.’

‘Who was Crop-ear?’ asked the King of the Peacocks.

THE STORY OF THE CAMEL, THE LION, AND HIS COURT

“A Camel, may it please you,” replied Night-cloud, “who strayed away from a kafila, and wandered into the forest.  A Lion, named ‘Fierce-fangs,’ lived in that forest; and his three courtiers, a Tiger, a Jackal, and a Crow, met the Camel, and conducted him to their King.  His account of himself was satisfactory, and the Lion took him into his service under the name of Crop-ear.  Now it happened that the rainy season was very severe, and the Lion became indisposed, so that there was much difficulty in obtaining food for the Court.  The courtiers resolved accordingly to prevail on the Lion to kill the Camel; ’for what interest have we,’ they said, ‘in this browser of thistles?’