"A friend of mine," said Speckle-neck, "lives near in a beautiful forest on the Gundaki. Golden-skin is his name—the King of the Mice—he is the one to cut these bonds."
Resolving to have recourse to him, they directed their flight to the hole of Golden-skin—a prudent monarch, who dreaded danger so much that he had made himself a palace with a hundred outlets, and lived always in it. Sitting there he heard the descent of the pigeons, and remained silent and alarmed.
"Friend Golden-skin," cried the King, "have you no welcome for us?"
"Ah, my friend!" said the Mouse-king, rushing out on recognizing the voice, "is it thou art come, Speckle-neck! how delightful!—But what is this?" exclaimed he, regarding the entangled net.
"That," said King Speckle-neck, "is the effect of some wrong-doing in a former life—
'Sickness, anguish, bonds, and woe
Spring from wrongs wrought long ago,'[[5]]
Golden-skin, without replying, ran at once to the net, and began to gnaw the strings that held Speckle-neck.
"Nay! friend, not so," said the King, "cut me first these meshes from my followers, and afterwards thou shalt sever mine."
"I am little," answered Golden-skin, "and my teeth are weak—how can I gnaw so much? No! no! I will nibble your strings as long as my teeth last, and afterwards do my best for the others. To preserve dependents by sacrificing oneself is nowhere enjoined by wise moralists; on the contrary—
'Keep wealth for want, but spend-it for thy wife,
And wife, and wealth, and all to guard thy life,'