The Washerman and the Leopard
On a certain day, a man having gone to a chena which he had cut, and in which he had sown grain, as he was walking along at the edge of the fence, on this side of the corner of the stick fence a tail was visible, it is said.
Having gone near very quietly, when he looked, a leopard lying at the edge of the fence, having let its tail come inside the chena, was asleep, it is said.
Thereupon, this man on this side of the fence seized the leopard’s tail which it had put there. After he seized it he cannot kill it, he cannot let go; should he let go, the leopard will kill the man.
When the man was staying [there] thinking, “How is the expedient for this?” he saw a Washerman going along, taking a bundle of clothes. So this man called him, saying, “Washerman-uncle, come here.”
Then the Washerman having come, asked, “What is it?”
He said, “Kill the leopard.”
Then the Washerman said thus, “Anē! His face is like our uncle’s. Anē! I indeed cannot kill him.”
The man who was holding the leopard, said, “If so, I will kill him; you hold the tail.”
Then the Washerman having said, “It is good,” took hold of the tail. At the time when he was holding it, this man said, “[You] who have become uncle and have become nephew, stay there,” and came home.