Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young elephant. After growing up, he became the leader of the herd, with a following of eighty thousand elephants, and lived in the Himalayas. At that time quail laid her eggs in the feeding-ground of the elephants. When the eggs were ready to be hatched, the young birds broke the shells and came out. Before their wings had grown, and when they were still unable to fly, the Great Being with his eighty thousand elephant followers, came to this spot. On seeing them the quail thought, “This royal elephant will trample on my young ones and kill them. I will implore his righteous protection for the defense of my brood.”

Then she raised her two wings and standing before him and said:–

Elephant of sixty years,

Forest lord amongst thy peers,

I am but a puny bird,

Thou a leader of the herd;

With my wings I homage pay,

Spare my little ones, I pray.

The Great Being said, “O quail! Do not worry. I will protect your offspring.” And standing over the young birds, while the eighty thousand elephants passed by, he thus addressed the quail: “Behind us comes a solitary rogue elephant. He will not obey me. When he comes, do you entreat him too, and so ensure the safety of your offspring.” And with these words he went. And the quail went forth to meet the other elephant, and with both wings uplifted, making respectful salutation, she spoke:–

Roaming over hill and dale

Cherishing thy lonely way,

Thee, O forest king, I hail,

And with wings my homage pays.

I am but a wretched quail,

Spare my tender brood to slay.

On hearing her words, the elephant spoke:–

I will slay your young ones, quail;

What can you poor help avail?

My left foot can crush with ease

Many thousand birds like these.

And so saying, with his foot he crushed the young birds to atoms, and staling over them washed them away in a flood of water, and went off loudly trumpeting. The quail sat down on the bough of a tree and said, “You shall very soon see what I will do. You don’t know what a difference there is between strength of body and strength of mind. Well! I will teach you a lesson.” And thus threatening him she said:–

Power abused is not all gain,

Power is often folly’s bane.

Beast that didst my young ones kill,

I will work thee mischief still.

And so saying, quail went to a crow for help. The crow asked, “What can I do for you?” the quail said, “you to strike with your beak and to peck out the eyes of this rogue elephant.” The crow readily assented, and the quail then went to a blue fly, and when the fly asked, “What can I do for you?” she said, “When the eyes of this rogue elephant have been put out by the crow, then I want you to let fall a nit upon them.” The fly agreed, and then the quail went to a frog, and when the frog asked what it was to do, she said, “When this rogue elephant becomes blind, and shall be searching for water to drink, then take your stand on the top of a mountain and utter a croak, and when he has climbed to the top, come down and croak again at the bottom of the precipice.” After hearing what the quail said, the frog readily assented.

So one day the crow with its beak pecked out both the eyes of the elephant, and the fly dropped its eggs upon then, and the elephant being eaten up with maggots was maddened by he pain, and overcome with thirst wandered about seeking for water to drink. At this moment the frog standing on the top of a mountain uttered a croak. Thought the elephant, “There must be water there,” and climbed up the mountain. Then the frog descended, and standing at the bottom croaked again. The elephant thought, “There will be water there,” and moved forward towards the precipice, and rolling over fell the bottom of the mountain and was killed.

When the quail knew that the elephant was dead, she said, “I have seen the back of mine enemy,” and in a high state of delight strutted over his body, and passed away to fare according to her deeds.

The Master said, “Brethren, one ought not to incur the hostility of anyone. These four creatures, by combining together, brought about the destruction of this elephant, strong as he was.

A quail with crow, blue fly and frog allied

Once proved the issue of a deadly feud.

Through them king elephant untimely died:

Therefore all quarreling should be avoided.”