"Very good," said Sharp-sense; "as you will;" and in the morning each
started early for his own feeding-ground (returning at night). One day
the Jackal drew the Deer aside, and whispered, 'Deer, in one corner of
this wood there is a field full of sweet young wheat; come and let me
show you.' The Deer accompanied him, and found the field, and afterwards
went every day there to eat the green corn, till at last the owner of
the ground spied him and set a snare. The Deer came again very shortly,
and was caught in it, and (after vainly struggling) exclaimed, 'I am
fast in the net, and it will be a net of death to me if no friend comes
to rescue me!' Presently Small-wit, the Jackal, who had been lurking
near, made his appearance, and standing still, he said to himself, with
a chuckle, 'O ho! my scheme bears fruit! When he is cut up, his bones,
and gristle, and blood, will fall to my share and make me some beautiful
dinners,' The Deer, here catching sight of him, exclaimed with rapture,
'Ah, friend, this is excellent! Do but gnaw these strings, and I shall
be at liberty. How charming to realize the saying!--

'That friend only is the true friend who is near when trouble comes;
That man only is the brave man who can bear the battle-drums;
Words are wind; deed proveth promise: he who helps at need is kin;
And the leal wife is loving though the husband lose or win,'

And is it not written--

'Friend and kinsman--more their meaning than the idle-hearted mind.
Many a friend can prove unfriendly, many a kinsman less than kind:
He who shares his comrade's portion, be he beggar, be he lord,
Comes as truly, comes as duly, to the battle as the board--
Stands before the king to succor, follows to the pile to sigh--