The King who learnt the Speech of Animals
In a certain country a King was rearing wild animals. The King had learnt in a thorough manner the speech of animals.
One day at that time the fowls were saying, “Our King assists us very much; he gives us food and drink.” They thanked the King very much. The King having heard their talk, the King laughed with pleasure.
The royal Queen having been near, asked, “What did you laugh at?”
“I merely (nikan) laughed,” the King said. Should he explain and give the talk to any person the King will die. Because of it he did not explain and give it. That the King knows the speech of animals he does not inform anyone.
The royal Queen says, “There is no one who laughs in that way without a reason. Should you not say the reason I am going away, or having jumped into a well I shall die.”
Thereupon the King, because he was unable to be released from [the importunity of] the Queen, thought, “Even if I am to die I must explain and give this.”
Thinking thus, he went to give food to the animals. Then it was evident to those animals that this King is going to die. Out of the party of animals first a cock says, “His Majesty our King is going to be lost. We don’t want the food. We shall not receive assistance. Unless His Majesty the King perish thus we shall not perish. In submission to me there are many hens. When I have called them the hens come. When I have told them to eat they eat. When I have told them to go they go. The King, having become submissive in that manner to the thing that his wife has said, is going to die.” The King having heard it, laughed at it, also.
Then, also, the royal Queen asked, “What did you laugh at?”
Thereupon, not saying the [true] word, the King said, “Thinking of constructing a tank, I laughed.”