The Jade Story Book/Chapter 11
PIGEON-KING AND MOUSE-KING
A fowler, seeking to snare some birds, set a trap with which he might catch them. He fixed a net, scattered grains of rice about, and then hid himself in a place where he could watch.
Very soon "Speckle-neck," King of the Pigeons, accompanied by his followers, flew that way. Of course he saw the rice-grains, and thought it very unusual that they should be lying on the ground in so lonely a spot as this was. He did not like the look of it, and so decided to take counsel with his followers before permitting them to eat the rice.
They were all hungry, and the younger ones did not wish to wait while the older and wiser pigeons took counsel together, but this they had to do. At length one of them laughed at the others, and taunted them with being afraid without any reason, and dared them to at once eat the rice which they all wanted. At this they all settled on the ground, and soon were caught in the net.
They then began to abuse the pigeon who had dared them, saying that it was through him they were all caught. But King Spreckle-neck said they were all to blame, and the thing to do now was to find some way of escape, and not to waste precious time by quarreling. He thought carefully for a few moments, and then said.
"Many small things added together make a large one. Let us all rise under the net at the same instant and between us we will fly off with it."
They decided to try this means of escape, and it happened just as the King said. They rose together, and flew away with the net. The fowler, who had hidden himself at some distance, saw the pigeons flying away with his net and hastened to stop them, but was too late, and soon they were out of sight.
The pigeons, seeing that they were safely away from the fowler, asked the King what they should do next.
Speckle-neck said, "A friend of mine named 'Golden-skin,' King of the Mice, lives near by. We will go to him, and he will cut these bonds." They accordingly directed their flight to the hole of Golden-skin.
They soon arrived at the home of the Mouse-king, and Speckle-neck called to his friend to come out. Golden-skin came to the entrance, and told his friend how pleased he was to see him. "But what does this mean?" he exclaimed, looking at the pigeons all tangled up in the net.
Speckle-neck told him what had happened to them, and without a word the Mouse-king began to gnaw at the strings which held his friend. But the worthy Pigeon-king bade him to release the others first, and leave him until the last.
To this Golden-skin objected, but King Spreckle-neck said that he could not bear to see those who depended upon him in such distress. Such heroism made the Mouse-king's fur bristle up for pure pleasure.
"Nobly spoken!" said he. "Such tenderness for those who are dependent upon you makes me proud to be your friend." With this, he set himself to the great task of cutting all their bonds, and in time all were free.
The Mouse-king then entertained them as hospitably as he could. The Pigeon-king and his followers thanked him for his great kindness, and Golden-skin embraced them all, after which he returned to his hole and the pigeons departed.
You may be sure that the young pigeons decided that the older ones were wiser in counsel than they, and to be more careful when "daring" their fellows.