192.The Image of God and the Carpenter
A VERY POOR MAN, a carpenter by trade, had a wooden image of the God, before which he made offerings day by day, and begged the idol to make him rich, but in spite of his entreaties he became poorer and poorer. At last, being very angry, he took his image down from its pedestal and dashed it against the wall. When its head was knocked off, out came a stream of gold, which the carpenter quickly picked up and said,
“Well, I think you are altogether contradictory and unreasonable; for when I paid you honor, I reaped no benefits: but now that I maltreat you I am loaded with an abundance of riches.”
191.The Ill Stag
AN ILL STAG lay down in a quiet corner of its pasture-ground. His companions came in great numbers to inquire after his health, and each one helped himself to a share of the food which had been placed for his use; so that he died, not from his sickness, but from the failure of the means of living.
❖ Evil companions bring more hurt than profit.
190.The Lion and The Fox or The Ill Lion
A LION, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice. He returned to his den, and lying down there, pretended to be ill, taking care that his illness should be publicly known. The beasts expressed their sorrow, and came one by one to his den, where the lion devoured them.
After many of the beasts had thus disappeared, the fox discovered the trick and presenting himself to the lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at a respectful distance, and asked him how he was.
“I am very middling,” replied the lion, “but why do you stand outside? Pray enter within to talk with me.”
“No, thank you,” said the fox. “I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning.”
❖ He that will outwit the old fox, had better make the city livable.
❖ He is wise who is warned by the misfortunes of others.
189.The Ill Kite
A KITE, ill to death, said to his mother: “Mother! do not mourn, but at once invoke the hereafter that my life may be prolonged.”
She replied,
“Alas, son! Which in the hereafter do you think will pity you? Is there one whom you have not outraged by eating the flesh from their bones on the roof-tops?”
❖ We should make friends in prosperity if we would have their help in adversity.
The ancient burial custom in Persia and other places was to leave corpses on flat roofs of houses to let large birds eat them.
