If the root we do not know,
How can we tell the trees that grow?”
THE OLD HARE AND THE ELEPHANTS
Translated by Sir Edwin Arnold
Once on a time very little rain had fallen in the due season; and the Elephants, being oppressed with thirst, thus addressed their leader: “Master, how are we to live? The small creatures find something to wash in, but we cannot, and we are half dead in consequence; whither shall we go then, and what shall we do?”
Upon that the King of the Elephants led them away a little distance and showed them a beautiful pool of water clear as crystal, where they took their ease.
Now it chanced that a company of Hares resided on the banks of the pool and the going and coming of the Elephants trampled many of them to death, till one of their number grumbled out, “This troop will be coming here to water every day, and every one of our family will be crushed.”
“Do not disquiet yourself,” said an old Buck Hare named Good-speed; “I will manage to stop it,” and so saying, he set off bethinking himself on his way how he should approach and accost a herd of Elephants; for
Elephants destroy by touching, snakes with point of tooth beguile;