now hear how friends are parted."

"Attend, then," replied the Sage, "to 'the Parting of Friends,' the
first couplet of which runs in this wise--

'The Jackal set--of knavish cunning full--
At loggerheads the Lion and the Bull.'

"How was that?" asked the sons of the Rajah.

Vishnu-Sarman proceeded to relate:--


THE STORY OF THE LION, THE JACKALS, AND THE BULL

"In the Deccan there is a city called Golden-town, and a wealthy
merchant lived there named Well-to-do. He had abundant means, but as
many of his relations were even yet richer, his mind was bent: upon
outdoing them by gaining more. Enough is never what we have--

'Looking down on lives below them, men of little store are great;
Looking up to higher fortunes, hard to each man seems his fate.'

And is not wealth won by courage and enterprise?--

'As a bride, unwisely wedded, shuns the cold caress of eld,
So, from coward souls and slothful, Lakshmi's favors turn repelled.'

'Ease, ill-health, home-keeping, sleeping, woman-service, and content--
In the path that leads to greatness these be six obstructions sent.'