Let this one, therefore, become our maternal uncle, and let him always protect all the old and young ones of our race.  And going at last to the cat, all of them said, ’Through thy grace we desire to roam in happiness.  Thou art our gracious shelter, thou art our great friend.  For this, all of us place ourselves under thy protection.  Thou art always devoted to virtue, thou art always engaged in the acquisition of virtue.  O thou of great wisdom, protect us, therefore, like the wielder of the thunderbolt protecting the celestials.’  Thus addressed, O king, by all the mice, the cat answered them, saying, ’I do not see the consistency of these two, viz., my ascetic pursuits and this protection (that I am called upon to grant).  I cannot avoid, however, doing good to you agreeably to your request.  You all, at the same time, should always obey my words.  Staying as I am in the observance of a severe vow, I am weakened by my ascetic practices.  I do not, therefore, see the means of my moving from place to place.  Ye all should, therefore, bear me hence every day to the river-side.’  Saying, ‘So be it,’ the mice then, O bull of Bharata’s race, made over all their old and young ones to that cat.  Then that sinful creature of wicked soul, feeding on mice, gradually became fat and of good complexion and strong in his limbs.  And thus while the mice began to be reduced in number, the cat began to grow in vigour and strength.  Then all the mice, coming together, said unto one another, ’Our uncle is daily growing stout, while we are being daily reduced (in number)!’ Then a certain mouse endued with wisdom, named Dindika, said, O king these words unto the large swarm of mice gathered there, ’Go all of ye to the river-side together.  I will follow ye, accompanying our uncle.’  ‘Excellent, Excellent,’ they said, and applauded that one of their number.  And they all did just as those words of grave import spoken by Dindika seemed to indicate.  The cat, however, not knowing all this, ate up Dindika that day.  All the mice then, without losing much time, began to take counsel of one another.  Then a very old mouse, named Kilika, said these just words, O king, in the presence of all his kinsfolk, ’Our uncle is not really desirous of earning virtue.  He hath, like a hypocrite, become our friend when in reality he is our enemy.  Indeed, the excreta of a creature that liveth only upon fruits and roots never containeth hair of fur.  Then again, while his limbs are growing, our number is decaying.  Besides, Dindika cannot be seen for these eight days.’  Hearing these words, the mice ran away in all directions.  And that cat also of wicked soul returned to whence he came.  O thou of wicked soul, thou too art a practiser of such feline behaviour.  Thou behavest towards thy kinsmen after the manner of the cat (in the story) towards the mice.  Thy speech is of one kind, and thy conduct is of another.  Thy (devotion to) scripture and thy peacefulness of behaviour are