“O uncle, I kept on the dry land, and killed the fish which were driven ashore.”
“O nephew, however little was to be got by going upon dry land, yet Mukhara would always keep to the dry land. The otter who has to go into the water is in danger from waves and waters, from tortoises, alligators, and crocodiles. Besides, if he had not frightened the fish, how could you have killed them? In short, all the take of the fishing is the other otter’s work; and therefore you must be content with what your companion gives you.” The otter, heart-smitten and overawed by the jackal’s words, sat there without saying a word. Then Mukhara said, “O nephew, there is a means of accomplishing the division without injustice, by means of the utterance of a śloka.”
Then the two otters said despondingly, “O uncle, undertake the division.” [[334]]
So Mukhara divided the heap into three parts, one containing the heads of the fish, and another their tails, and the third the rest of their bodies. And he uttered this verse:—
“The goer on land receives the tails, and the goer into the depths the heads; he who is conversant with the law receives the middle parts.”
Moreover, Mukhara said to himself, “Having deluded these two, I will secure the booty.” So he seized the middle part of a large fish, and went off to his mother. She joyfully addressed him in a śloka.
“Mukhara, whence dost thou come that thou hast brought a large fish without head or tail? whence dost thou come so highly blessed?”
“Even as the king’s cat,” he replied, “that knows neither right nor wrong, in that fools strive with one another, gains thereby, so shall we obtain food in plenty.”
The mother also uttered this śloka, “O Mukhara, fine and fair exceedingly art thou who hast been too much for the otters. They twain are content, and thou hast secured a rich booty.” [[335]]