eek to gladden thee, and worship and honour thee on every
occasion in return for thy services. A person by doing even abundant
services in return never becomes equal to the person that did him good in
the first instance. The former does those services for the sake of
services received. The latter, however, should be held to have acted
without any such motive.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "The mouse, having thus made the cat understand his
own interests, trustfully crouched beneath his enemy's body. Possessed of
learning, and thus assured by the cat, the mouse trustfully laid himself
thus under the breast of the cat as if it were the lap of his father or
mother. Beholding him thus ensconced within the body of the cat, the
mongoose and the owl both became hopeless of seizing their prey. Indeed,
seeing that close intimacy between the mouse and the cat, both Harita and
Chandraka became alarmed and filled with wonder. Both of them had
strength and intelligence. Clever in seizing their prey, though near, the
mongoose and the owl felt unable to wean the mouse and the cat from that
compact. Indeed, beholding the cat and the mouse make that covenant for
accomplishing their mutual ends, the mongoose and the owl both left that
spot and went away to their respective abodes. After this, the mouse
Palita, conversant with the requirements of time and place, began, as he
lay under the body of the cat, to cut strings of the noose slowly,
waiting for the proper time to finish his work. Distressed by the strings
that entangled him, the cat became impatient upon seeing the mouse slowly
cutting away the noose. Beholding the mouse employed so slowly in the
work, the cat wishing to expedite him in the task, said: 'How is it, O
amiable one, that thou dost not proceed with haste in thy work? Dost thou
disregard me now, having thyself succeeded in thy object? O slayer of
foes, do thou cut these strings quickly. The hunter will soon come here.'
Thus addressed by the cat who had become impatient, the mouse possessed
of intelligence said these beneficial words fraught with his own good
unto the cat who did not seem to possess much wisdom: 'Wait in silence, O
amiable one! Expedition is not necessary. Drive all thy fears. We know
the requirements of time. We are not wasting time. When an act is begun
at an improper time, it never becomes profitable when accomplished. That
act, on the other hand, which is begun at the proper time, always
produces splendid f