XXXI.
THE TIGER AND ITS COUNCIL.
At Grannavara lived a very poor Brahman, Divasarma, who eked out a livelihood as a beggar. One day, when he chanced to go to the adjacent wood for fuel for his sacrifice, he saw a huge tiger under a spreading banyan tree. Shaking with fear, he bethought him how best he could go home. There were a few lambs near the tiger at the time, who saw the shivering Brahman and that he had come in innocence of his danger; so they wished to devise means for saving him. The lambs therefore approached the tiger and said:—"O King Tiger your charity knows no bounds. Your fame extends over the four corners of the world. A Brahman has been here for a, very long time, eagerly longing to see you." The tiger thereupon was overjoyed and told the lambs to fetch the Brahman to his presence. Then the lambs went to the Brahman, told him not to be afraid, and took him along with them to the tiger.
