thy good. In all
matters connected with thy kinsmen, thou shalt not ask me what is for thy
good or what is otherwise. Having consulted with me thou shalt not punish
thy other ministers afterwards, yielding to rage thou shalt not punish my
followers and dependants.' Thus addressed by the jackal, the king of
beasts answered him, saying, 'Let it be so,' and showed him every honour.
The jackal then accepted the ministership of the tiger. Beholding the
jackal treated with respect and honoured in all his acts, the old
servants of the king, conspiring together, began ceaselessly to display
their hatred towards him. Those wicked persons at first strove to gratify
and win him over with friendly behaviour and make him tolerate the
diverse abuses that existed in the waste. Despoilers of other people's
property, they had long lived in the enjoyment of their perquisites. Now,
however, being ruled by the jackal, they were unable to appropriate
anything belonging to others. Desirous of advancement and prosperity,
they began to tempt him with sweet speeches. Indeed, large bribes even
were offered to allure his heart. Possessed of great wisdom, the jackal
showed no signs of yielding to those temptations. Then some amongst them,
making a compact amongst themselves for effecting his destruction, took
away the well-dressed meat that was intended for and much desired by the
king of beasts, and placed it secretly in the house of the jackal. The
jackal knew who had stolen the meat and who had conspired to do it. But
though he knew everything, he tolerated it for a particular object. He
had made a compact with the king at the time of his accepting the
ministership, saying, 'Thou desirest my friendship, but thou shalt not, O
monarch, mistrust me without cause.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "When the king of beasts, feeling hungry, came to
eat, he saw not the meat that was to have been kept ready for his dinner.
The king then ordered, 'Let the thief be found out.' His deceitful
ministers represented unto him that the meat kept for him had been stolen
away by his learned minister, the jackal, that was so proud of his own
wisdom. Hearing of this injudicious act on the part of the jackal, the
tiger became filled with rage. Indeed, the king, giving way to his wrath,
ordered his minister to be slain. Beholding the opportunity, the former
ministers addressed the king, saying, 'The jackal is ever ready to take
away from all of us the means of sustenance.' Hav