OF ART. I.--Two Játakas. The original Páli Text, with an English Translation. By V. FAUSBÖLL. [Read February 17, 1870.] The two Játakas I here lay before the public contain, as will be seen, two fables which, in the tale that forms the framework of the second book of the Pancatantra, were combined into one. Only the main features, however, are the same, the details differing greatly; and the same is the case in all the other tales which the Játakas have in common with the Pancatantra and the Hitopadeça. But, as the MSS. of these two works disagree so much that there are almost as many texts as there are MSS. ("ut poene quot codices, tot textus esse dicere possis," Kosegarten, p. vi), new editions of both of them, based on the oldest MSS. that can be found in India, would be of great value; and if once the oldest MS. in existence had been discovered, I should particularly recommend its publication without any alloy from other MSS., that we might be sure we have one clear, self-consistent text. I think that if this had been done, the similarity between the Singhalese (Páli) and the continental (Sanscrit) fables would appear greater; the Pancatantra being originally, as Prof. Benfey has clearly shown, a Buddhistic work. If we look at the first of the two following fables, it will be seen that the truth to be expounded is the old one, couched by Sallust
In (times) past; when Brahmadatta reigned in Bárá.nsí, Bodhisatta, having been born a quail, lived in the wood with an attendance of many thousands of quails. Then a quail-hunter, after going to their dwelling-place, (and) having counterfeited the cry of quails, and seen that they had assembled, threw (his) net over them, (and) after drawing it together at the sides (and) uniting all in one (heap), he filled his basket, went to (his) house, sold them, and (thus) had his livelihood with that money. But one day Bodhisatta said to those quails, "This fowler detroys our kin; I know a means by (employing) which he will not be able to catch us. Henceforth as soon as the net is thrown over us by him, you, having each of you put (his) head into one mesh of the net (and) lifted the net (and) carried (it) to whatever place you choose, cast (it) on a thorn-bush. This being (done) we shall escape each from under his place." (Saying) Very good! they all promised (to do so). The next day when the net had been thrown over (them), then having lifted the net in the way mentioned by Bodhisatta (and) having cast it on a thorn-bush, they themselves fled away from underneath. While the fowler was extricating the net from the bush, it had become dark. He went away empty-handed. From the following day the quails act in the same way. And he until sunset (being busy) extricating the net, without having got anything, goes to (his) house empty-handed. Then his wife,
When a short time had passed, one quail, descending on the pasture-ground, unawares trod on the head of another. The other was angry (and said), "Who trod on my head?" and although the first said, "Be not angry, I trod (on it) unawares," yet he was angry. They, again and again talking (together), quarrelled with each other, saying, "(It is) thou, I suppose, '(that) liftest the net." While they were quarrelling, Bodhisatta thought, "For those who quarrel there is no safety, now they will not lift the net, then they will incur great destruction, the fowler will have a (good) chance. I cannot stay in this place (any longer)." So he took his retinue and went elsewhere. But the fowler, after a little while, came and counterfeited the cry of the quails, and when they had assembled he threw the net over (them). Then one quail said, "While lifting the net, the feathers on thy head fell off, now lift (it again)." Another said, "While lifting the net, thy wings on both sides dropped, now lift (it again)." Thus while they were saying, "Lift (the net again)," the fowler threw (his) net, and after uniting all in one (heap), and filling (his) bag, he went home and made (his) wife smile. The Master (said), "Thus, O Emperor! the dispute of relatives is not becoming, dispute is the root of destruction; (and) so (saying and) having given this moral instruction, he wound up the Játaka by saying: "At that time the unwise
In (times) past, while Brahmadatta reigned in Bárá.nasí,
The Tortoise began to gnaw at the leather-thongs. The Woodpecker went to the village where the Hunter dwelt. The Hunter at dawn, having taken (his) hunting-knife, went out. The Bird, perceiving that he was about to go out, shrieked aloud, shaking (his) wings, and struck him in the face when he was going out at the front-door. The Hunter (said to himself), "I have been struck by a bird of bad omen," (and) so (saying) he returned, lay down a little (while), and then got up again and took (his) knife. The Bird (thought), "this (man) went out the first (time) by the front-door, now he will go out by the back-door," (and) seeing this he went and sat down at the back-door. But the Hunter thought, "when I went out by the front-door, I saw a bird of bad omen, now I will go out at the back-door," (and) so (thinking) he went out by the back-door. The Bird again shrieking aloud went and struck (him) in the face. The
THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY.
[New Series, Volume V]
[London, Trübner and Company]
[1873]
{Scanned and edited by Christopher M. Weimer, March 2002}
(While) agreeing the birds go (away)
carrying off the net,
but when they quarrel
they will then fall into my power."
1. "Therefore the leathern trap
Out with thy teeth, O Tortoise!
I will manage (it) so
That the Hunter shall not come."
2. "The Tortoise went into the water,
The Deer entered the wood,
The Woodpecker from the top of the tree
Carried (his) children far away."