The Jackal and the Turtle
At a village there is a large pond. At the margin of the pond two Storks[1] live. When they had been eating the small fishes in that pond in that way for a long time, the pond became dried up by a very great drought. These two Storks having eaten the small fishes in the pond until they were becoming finished, one day a Stork of these two Storks having spoken to the other Stork, says, “Friend, now then, that we have been here is no matter to us. Because of it let us go to another district.” Thus he spoke.
Now, a Turtle stayed in the pond. The Turtle having heard the speech of these two Storks, the Turtle says, “Anē! Friends, I also now have been staying in this pond a long time. The pond having now dried up, I also have nothing to eat, nor water to be in, and nowhere to go. Because of it, friends, having taken me to the village to which you two go, put me down there,” the Turtle said to the two Storks.
Then one Stork says to the Turtle, “Anē! Bola, foolish Turtles! How wilt thou go with us to another village?”
Then the Turtle says, “Anē! Friends, I indeed cannot go flying to the village to which you go. You two somehow or other having gone with me must put me there.”
Then the two Storks say to the Turtle, “If thou, shutting thy mouth, wilt remain without speaking anything, we two having gone to the place where there is water will put thee down there,” the two Storks said.
Having said this they brought a stick, and said to the Turtle, “Grasp the middle of this stick tightly with the mouth, and hold it tightly.”
Having said this, the two Storks [holding the stick near the ends] took the Turtle. While they were going flying, as they were going above a dried field a Jackal saw the shadow going with the two Storks carrying the Turtle. Having seen it the Jackal says, “Isn’t this a troublesome comrade they are taking?”
Then the Turtle having become angry, says, “The troublesome comrade whom they are taking is for thy mother.” So the Turtle’s mouth was opened. Then the Turtle fell on the ground. The two Storks left him and went away.
The Jackal having come running, after he looked saw the Turtle, and turning and turning it over to eat, when he tried to eat it the Turtle says, “I have now for a long time been staying dried up without water. In that way you cannot eat me. Having gone with me to a place where there is water and put me in it, should I become soaked you will be able to eat me,” he said to the Jackal.