No. 162
The Leopard and the Calf
In a certain country, while cattle are coming along eating and eating food, a Leopard having been hidden and been there looking out seized a small Calf out of them, and at first ate an ear.
Then the Calf says, “I am insufficient for food for you. When I have become big you can eat me, therefore let me go,” he said to the Leopard. At that time the Leopard having said, “It is good,” allowed the Calf to go.
In a little time, having seen that the Calf has become big the Leopard came to eat him. Thereupon the Bull (the grown-up calf) says to the Leopard, “You cannot eat me in that way. Go to the jungle, and breaking a large creeper[1] come [back with it],” he said.
Then when the Leopard brought a creeper the Bull said to the Leopard, “Tie an end round your waist[2] and the other end tie on my neck,” he said.
The Bull having dropped heated dung while the Leopard was doing thus, began to run in all directions [after they were tied together]. When he is running thus the Leopard says to the Bull [as he was jolted about],
| Bālē—dī—no—kāe—koṭa Mā—ata—mōḍakan—koṭa Gassa—gassa—no—duwa Periya—kan—koṭā | While young—not—having—eaten thee On my—part—I—did—foolishly. Jolting,—jolting—me,—don’t—run, O thou—great—short—earèd—one. |
The Leopard having been much wounded in this way, died.