like.  All of us will give thee food.  Eat that which ought always to be thy food, abandoning such purity of conduct.  Hearing these words of theirs, the jackal replied unto them, with rapt attention, in these sweet words fraught with reason and inculcating harmlessness to all:  ’My birth has been low.  It is conduct, however, that determines the race.[341] I desire to behave in such a way that my fame may spread.  Although my habitation is this crematorium, yet listen to my vows in respect of behaviour.  One’s own self is the cause of one’s acts.  The mode of life to which one may betake oneself is not the cause of one’s religious acts.  If one, while in the observance of a particular mode of life, slays a Brahmana, will not the sin of Brahmanicide attach to him?  If, on the other hand, one gives away a cow while one is not in the observance of any particular mode of life, will that pious gift produce no merit?  Moved by the desire of getting what is agreeable, ye are engaged in only filling your stomachs.  Stupefied by folly ye do not see the three faults that are in the end.  I do not like to adopt the life led by you, fraught as it is with evil both here and hereafter, and characterised as it is by such censurable loss of virtue occasioned by discontentment and temptation.’  A tiger, celebrated for prowess, happened to overhear this conversation, and accordingly, taking the jackal for a learned person of pure behaviour, offered him such respectful worship as was suited to his own self and then expressed a wish for appointing him his minister.’

“The tiger said, ’O righteous personage, I know what thou art.  Do thou attend to the duties of government with myself.  Enjoy whatever articles may be desired by thee, abandoning whatever may not suit thy taste.[342] As regards ourselves, we are known to be of a fierce disposition.  We inform thee beforehand of this.  If thou behavest with mildness, thou wilt be benefited and reap advantages for thyself.’—­Honouring these words of that high-souled lord of all animals, the jackal, hanging down his head a little, said these words fraught with humility.’

“The jackal said, ’O king of beasts, these words of thine with reference to myself are such as befit thee.  It is also worthy of thee that thou shouldst seek for ministers of pure behaviour and conversant with duties and worldly affairs.  Thou canst not maintain thy greatness without a pious minister, O hero, or with a wicked minister that is on the look-out for putting an end to the very life.  Thou shouldst, O highly blessed one, regard those amongst thy ministers that are devoted to thee, that are conversant with policy, that are independent of one another, desirous of crowning thee with victory, unstained by covetousness, free from deceit, possessed of wisdom ever engaged in thy good, and endued with great mental vigour, even as thou regardest thy preceptors or parents.  But, O king of beasts, as I am perfectly contented with my present position, I do not desire to change