coppery eyes, of the name of Harita.  Living in underground holes, its body resembled the flower of a reed.  Allured to that spot by the scent of the mouse, the animal came there with great speed for devouring his prey.  And he stood on his haunches, with head upraised, licking the corners of his mouth with his tongue.  The mouse beheld at the same time another foe living in the trees, then sitting on the branch of the banian.  It was a night-prowling owl of the name of Chandraka of sharp beaks.  Having become an object of sight with both the mongoose and the owl, the mouse, in great alarm, began to think in this strain:  ’At such a season of great danger, when death itself is staring me in the face, when there is fear on every side, how should one act that wishes for one’s good?  Encompassed on all sides by danger, seeing fear in every direction, the mouse, filled with alarm for his safety, made a high resolution.  Warding off even innumerable dangers by hundreds of means, one should always save one’s life.  Danger, at the present moment, encompasses me on every side.  If I were to descend from this trap on the ground, without adequate precautions, the mongoose will surely seize and devour me.  If I remain on this trap, the owl will surely seize me.  If, again, that cat succeeds in disentangling himself from the net, he also is certain to devour me.  It is not proper, however, that a person of our intelligence should lose his wits.  I shall, therefore, strive my best to save my life, aided by proper means and intelligence.  A person possessed of intelligence and wisdom and conversant with the science of policy never sinks, however great and terrible the danger that threatens him.  At present, however, I do not behold any other refuge than this cat.  He is an enemy.  But he is in distress.  The service that I can do him is very great.  Sought to be made a prey by three foes, how should I now act for saving my life?  I should now seek the protection of one of those foes, viz., the cat.  Taking the aid of the science of policy, let me counsel the cat for his good, so that I may, with my intelligence, escape from all the three.  The cat is my great foe, but the distress into which he has fallen is very great.  Let me try whether I can succeed in making this foolish creature understand his own interests.  Having fallen into such distress, he may make peace with me.  A person when afflicted by a stronger one should make peace with even an enemy.  Professors of the science of policy say that even this should be the conduct of one who having fallen into distress seeks the safety of his life.  It is better to have a learned person for an enemy than a fool for a friend.  As regards myself, my life now rests entirely in the hands of my enemy the cat.  I shall now address the cat on the subject of his own liberation.  Perhaps, at this moment, it would not be wrong to take the cat for an intelligent and learned foe.’  Even thus did that mouse, surrounded by foes, pursue