here repeat to thee, O king,
this excellent story recited by Narada to my father. A wicked cat, O
king, once on a time took up his abode on the banks of the Ganges,
abandoning all work and with his hands upraised (after the manner of a
devotee). Pretending to have purified his heart, he said unto all
creatures these words, for inspiring confidence in them, viz.,--I am now
practising virtue. After a long time, all oviparous creatures reposed
trust in him, and coming unto him all together, O monarch, they all
applauded that cat. And worshipped by all feathery creatures, that
devourer of feathery creatures, regarded his purpose already
accomplished, as also the purpose of his austerities. And after some more
time, the mice went to that place. And these also all beheld him to be a
virtuous person engaged in the observance of vows, and proudly exerting
himself in a grand act. And having arrived at that settled conviction,
they entertained the following wish, O king,--'Many foes we have. Let
this one, therefore, become our maternal uncle, and let him always
protect all the old and young ones of our race.' And going at last to the
cat, all of them said, 'Through thy grace we desire to roam in happiness.
Thou art our gracious shelter, thou art our great friend. For this, all
of us place ourselves under thy protection. Thou art always devoted to
virtue, thou art always engaged in the acquisition of virtue. O thou of
great wisdom, protect us, therefore, like the wielder of the thunderbolt
protecting the celestials.' Thus addressed, O king, by all the mice, the
cat answered them, saying, 'I do not see the consistency of these two,
viz., my ascetic pursuits and this protection (that I am called upon to
grant). I cannot avoid, however, doing good to you agreeably to your
request. You all, at the same time, should always obey my words. Staying
as I am in the observance of a severe vow, I am weakened by my ascetic
practices. I do not, therefore, see the means of my moving from place to
place. Ye all should, therefore, bear me hence every day to the
river-side.' Saying, 'So be it,' the mice then, O bull of Bharata's race,
made over all their old and young ones to that cat. Then that sinful
creature of wicked soul, feeding on mice, gradually became fat and of
good complexion and strong in his limbs. And thus while the mice began to
be reduced in number, the cat began to grow in vigour and strength. Then
all the mice, coming together, sai