“You may have heard that a Bráhman passing through a forest saw a lion held fast by a rope and confined in a cage. On perceiving the Bráhman he begged hard, and humbly said: ‘O Bráhman, if you will kindly release me I will recompense you some day.’ The simple-minded Bráhman was affected by the words of the lion; but, blind as he was to reason, he did not consider that the lion was his enemy, and that no reliance could be placed on his promises. He opened the door of the cage, unloosed the feet of the lion, and set him at liberty. The bloodthirsty beast, as soon as he found himself free, knocked down the Bráhman, and seizing him by the throat carried him towards his den. The Bráhman cried: “O lion, I did a good service for you in hopes of getting a fair return, but I see thy intentions are evil.” The lion answered: ‘In my religion the return for good is evil. If you do not believe me let us refer the question to some one else, and whatever he says will decide the matter.’ That fool agreed. In the forest there grew a tall and umbrageous banyan tree. The lion and the Bráhman went under its branches and referred the matter to it. Said the banyan: ‘The lion is in the right. I have always seen that the return for good is evil. Hear, O Bráhman! I stand on one leg[131] and cast my shade on every traveller that passes this way. But whoever takes shelter in my shadow is sure, on departing, to pull off one of my branches, to make use of it as a walking-stick in his hand. Now say, is not evil the return of good?’ The lion asked: ‘Well, my friend, what sayest thou?’ The Bráhman answered: ‘Refer the matter to some one else.’ The lion proceeded a few steps farther and questioned the road on the subject. The road answered: ‘The lion is right. Listen, O Bráhman. The traveller deviating from his path searches for me with the greatest care, and when he finds me I lead him to his home. But in return he defiles me.’ The beast went on again and saw a jackal on a rising ground. He was about to run away, when the lion called out: ‘O jackal, do not be afraid. I have come to refer a question to you.’ Said the jackal: ‘You may say what you please, but keep your distance; for if you approach, I am afraid your presence will render me senseless.’ The lion said: ‘This Bráhman has done good to me, and I intend to return evil to him. What sayst thou in the matter?’ The jackal replied: ‘I cannot quite understand what you say. How can a man who is so insignificant do any service to a lion, who is styled the monarch of the forest? I can never believe such a thing until I have seen it with my own eyes.’ The lion said: ‘Come on, and I will show it to you.’ So the lion and the Bráhman proceeded and the jackal followed. When they came to the cage the Bráhman said: ‘O jackal, the lion was fast bound to this, and I freed him. What is your decision?’ Said the jackal: ‘How could such a small cage hold so great a lion? If he would re-enter it before me and lie down as before, and then if you should free him I shall believe what you say.’ The lion entered the cage and the Bráhman commenced tying him. The jackal then remarked: ‘If you make the slightest difference in adjusting the knots, I shall be unable to decide the case.’ The Bráhman bound the lion strongly, and, having fastened the door of the cage, said to the jackal: ‘In that state I found him.’ ‘Fool that you were,’ exclaimed the jackal, ‘to expect good from such a powerful beast. It is laying the axe to your own root to think so. What need have you to give freedom to such an enemy? Go your way now, for the foe is overcome.’[132]
“O beloved,” continued the prince, “whoever gives freedom to complaints and impatience, which are like the lion confined in the cage of the body, and whoever, showing kindness to them, removes the string of resignation, always suffers from his own folly. O Dilbar, I have related this fable to show that the body cannot overcome the mind. It is proper for thee to release the princes of the East and the West, and God will release thee from the pains of hell. But until my return be very careful of my brothers. And now give me leave to depart.”
Dilbar Lakhí answered:
“Do not leave me sad and lonely;
Unattended, why depart?
Wherefore grieve a heart that loves thee?
Wherefore crush this widowed heart?
As the shell is thirsty for the
Drops, that make it teem with pearl,[133]