Then the Raja said, “Oh, then that deaf elephant was the cause of all this trouble,” and summoned the elephant. “O elephant, elephant! what did you root up the rock for?” The elephant answered, “Oh! how could I help uprooting it, Lord God? The sparrow flew into my ear, and I lost all control of myself, and so I tore up the rock.”
Then the Raja said, “Oh, then that sparrow was the cause of it all,” and summoned the sparrow. “O sparrow, sparrow! why did you fly into the elephant’s ear?” The sparrow answered, “Oh, Lord, how could I help it? The plantain-stalk fell upon my nest and smashed it, and being very disturbed in mind, I flew into the elephant’s ear.”
Then the Raja said, “Oh! then that plantain-tree was the cause of the trouble,” and called the plantain. “O plantain, plantain! what did you tumble on the sparrow’s nest and smash it for?” The plantain answered, “Oh, how could I help it, Lord God? The wild boar tore me up out of the ground, and I had no root left at all. How was I to go on standing in my place? I have neither hands nor feet.”
“Oh! then that pig was the cause of it all,” the Raja said, and summoned the pig. “O pig, pig! what did you tear up the plantain for?” The pig answered, “How could I help it? As I was feeding quietly by myself, the gourd fell plump on my back. I was in great pain, and therefore tore up the plantain tree.”
Then the king said, “Oh, the gourd caused all this trouble,” and summoned the gourd. “O gourd, gourd! what did you tumble on the wild boar’s back for?” “How was I to help it, Lord God? The squirrel cut through my stem. I have neither hands nor feet, nothing but a stalk; if that is cut through, I cannot but fall. So I was obliged to tumble on the wild boar’s back.”
Then the Raja said, “Oh, that squirrel caused all the mischief,” and summoned the squirrel. “O squirrel, squirrel! what did you cut through the stem of the gourd for?” The squirrel answered, “Oh, how could I help it, Lord God? The frog jumped on my ladder and broke it. Then I had no road to get out, and I had to cut the stalk of the gourd.”
The Raja said, “Oh, then that frog caused the mischief,” and summoned the frog. “O frog, frog! what did you jump on the squirrel’s ladder and break it for?” The frog answered, “How was I to help it? A big black ant bit me sharply in the loins, and with the pain of the bite, not knowing what I was doing, I jumped on the squirrel’s ladder and broke it.”
Again the Raja said, “Oh, it was the ant that caused all the trouble,” and summoned the ant. “O ant, ant! what did you bite the frog in the loins for?” The ant said, “How could I help biting him? In the morning I was carrying my uncle’s rice along the road. The frog sat down and blocked the way. I said, ‘Please make room for me to pass.’ ‘Creep under me,’ said he. I crept under him, and he sat down tight on the top of me. That was why I bit his loins.”
Then said the king, “You are both of you guilty.” They tied the ant fast with a hair from a man’s head; so now his waist is very small. The frog they beat severely with a stinging-nettle,[3] so now he is spotty all over.