The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
prabhur nyáyam ukshnánenádya sikshyate. This satisfies the metre,
which Brockhaus's reading does not.
[26] This word generally means crocodile. But in the Hitopadesa the
creature that kills the crane is a crab.
[27] This fable is the 7th in Benfey's translation of the Panchatantra,
Vol. II, p. 58. It is found in the 4th book of the Hitopadesa,
Johnson's translation, p. 103. It is also found in the Arabic version
(Wolff, I, 41, Knatchbull, 114), Symeon Seth (Athenian edition, p. 16,)
John of Capua, c. 4, b., German translation (Ulm., p. 1483. D.,
V, b.,) Spanish translation, XIII, 6, Firenzuola, 39, Doni, 59,
Anvár-i-Suhaili, 117, Livre des Lumières, 92, Cabinet des Fées, XVII,
221, Thousand and one Nights (Weil, III, 915.) Cp. Lafontaine, X,
4. (Benfey, Vol. I, p. 175). Benfey shews that it may be Buddhistic in
origin, quoting a story from Upham's Sacred and Historical Books of
Ceylon, III, 292. He also shews that it may have come into Buddhist
books from the Greek, as Alcæus appears to have been acquainted
with a similar Greek fable, (Æsopus, Furia 231, Cor., 70). See also
Weber's Indische Studien, III, 343. I may as well mention that in
the notes taken from Benfey's Panchatantra I substitute Johnson's
translation of the Hitopadesa for Max Mueller's. The story is found
in Rhys Davids' translation of the Játakas, (pp. 317-321,) which has
just been published.
[28] Here he is called a jhasha which means "large fish."
[29] Cp. Hitopadesa, Johnson's translation, Fable, IX, p. 61, Arabic,
(Wolff., 46, Knatchbull, 117,) Symeon Seth, 18, John of Capua c., 5,
b., German translation (Ulm edition) 1483, E., II, a, Spanish, XIII,
6, Firenzuola, 43, Doni, 62, Anvár-i-Suhaili, 124, Livre des Lumières,
99, Cabinet des Fées, XVII, 236, Baldo 4th Fable, Livre des Merveilles
(in Edéléstand du Méril, Poésies Inédites, 234), also Sukasaptati,
31. Benfey considers it to be Buddhistic in origin, referring
to Memoires sur les contrées occidentales traduits du Sanscrit
par Hiouen Thsang et du Chinois par Stan. Julien I, 361, Köppen,
Religion des Buddha, p. 94, Note I, (Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. I,
p. 179 and ff.) This is the 30th story in my copy of the Sukasaptati.
[30] Dr. Kern conjectures abhigarjinam but the Sanskrit College
MS. reads matvá tatrátigarjitam iti sinham, thinking that he was
outroared there, however, the word sinham must be changed if this
reading is to be adopted.
[31] I prefer the reading kas of the Sanskrit College MS., and would
render, "Whom can the king make his equal? Fortune does not proceed
in that way."
[32] I read dosham for dosho with the Sanskrit College MS.
[33] Cp. the ninth in Benfey's translation, Vol. II, p. 71. Cp. also
Kalilah and Dimnah, (Wolff. I, 59, Knatchbull, 126), Symeon Seth,
p. 22, John of Capua d, 1, b, German translation (Ulm, 1483) E., V.,
a, Spanish translation, XVI a, Firenzuola, 49, Doni, 75, (Benfey,
Vol. I, p. 223).
[34] Cp. Johnson's translation of the Hitopadesa, Fable XI,
p. 110. Benfey compares Kalilah and Dimnah (Wolff. 1, 78, Knatchbull
138), John of Capua, d., 3, Symeon Seth, p. 25, German translation
(Ulm 1483) F. 1, 6, Spanish translation, XVII, 6 and ff, Firenzuola,
57, Doni 54, Anvár-i-Suhaili, 153, Livre des Lumières, 118, Cabinet
des Fées, XVII, 294, (Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. I, p. 230.) Cp. also
Sagas from the Far East, Tale XIX. In sl. 145, I read vairaktyam;
see Böhtlingk and Roth s. v. vairatya.
[35] I adopted this translation of desajna, in deference to the opinion
of a good native scholar, but might not the word mean simply "knowing
countries?" The crow then would be a kind of feathered Ulysses,
cp. Waldau's Böhmische Märchen, p. 255. The fable may remind some
readers of the following lines in Spenser's Mother Hubberd's Tale.
He shortly met the Tygre and the Bore
That with the simple Camell raged sore
In bitter words, seeking to take occasion
Upon his fleshly corpse to make invasion.
[36] Benfey (Panchatantra, Vol. I, p. 231) quotes the following
passage from John of Capua's version, "Dicitur autem, melior omnium
regum est qui aquilæ similatur in cujus circuitu sunt cadavera,
pejor vero omnium est qui similatur cadaveri in cujus circuitu sunt
aquilæ." It is wanting in De Sacy's edition of the Arabic version,
and in the old Greek translation. This looks as if the Hebrew version,
from which John of Capua translates, was the best representation of
the original Indian work.
[37] This corresponds to the 2nd Fable in the IVth book of the
Hitopadesa, Johnson's translation, page 99. Benfey considers that the
fable of Æsop, which we find in Babrius, 115, is the oldest form of
it. He supposes that it owes its present colouring to the Buddhists. It
appears in the Arabic version (Wolff. I, 91, Knatchbull, 146), Symeon
Seth, p. 28, John of Capua d., 5, b., German translation (Ulm., 1483)
F., VIII, 6, Spanish translation, XIX a, Firenzuola, 65, Doni 93,
Anvár-i-Suhaili, 159, Livre des Lumières, 124, Cabinet des Fées, XVII,
309. (Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. I, pp. 239, 240). See also Weber,
Indische Studien, III, 339. This story is found in the Avadánas
translated from the Chinese by Stanislas Julien No. XIV, Vol. I,
pp. 71-73, (Liebrecht, Zur Volkskunde, p. 111.) It is the 3rd in La
Fontaine's tenth book. The original source is probably the Kachchhapa
Játaka; see Rhys Davids' Introduction to his Buddhist Birth stories,
p. viii. In Coelho's Contos Portuguezes, p. 15, the heron, which is
carrying the fox, persuades it to let go, in order that she may spit
on her hand. (A similar incident on page 112 of this volume.) Gosson
in his School of Abuse, Arber's Reprints, p. 43, observes, "Geese
are foolish birds, yet, when they fly over mount Taurus, they shew
great wisdom in their own defence for they stop their pipes full of
gravel to avoid gagling, and so by silence escape the eagles."
[38] i. e., the provider for the future, the fish that possessed
presence of mind, and the fatalist, who believed in kismat. This
story is found in the Hitopadesa, Book IV, Fable 11, Johnson's
translation. Benfey has discovered it in the Mahábhárata, XII, (III,
538) v. 4889, and ff. He compares Wolff., I, 54, Knatchbull, 121,
Symeon Seth, p. 20, John of Capua, c., 6, b., German translation
(Ulm., 1483), E. III, a., Spanish, XV, b, Firenzuola, 47, Doni, 73,
Anvár-i-Suhaili, 130, Livre des Lumières, 105, Cabinet des Fées,
XVII, 250. (Benfey, Vol. I, pp. 241 and 242)
[39] For the story of the pair of tittibha birds, cp. Hitopadesa,
Book II, fable X, Johnson's translation, p. 65. Benfey compares
Wolff, I, 84, Knatchbull 145, Symeon Seth, 28, John of Capua d.,
5, a., German translation (Ulm 1483) F., VII, a., Spanish, XIX, a.,
Firenzuola, 63, Doni, 92, Anvár-i-Suhaili, 158, Livre des Lumières,
123, Cabinet des Fées, XVII, 307, (Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. I,
p. 235) Benfey adduces evidence in favour of its Buddhistic origin.
[40] The following story is the 17th in the 1st Book of the
Panchatantra, Benfey's translation. He compares the Arabic version
(Wolff, I, 91, Knatchbull, 150,) Symeon Seth, 31, John of Capua e.,
1., German translation (Ulm 1483) G., IV., Spanish translation,
XX, a., Firenzuola, 70, Doni, 98, Anvár-i-Suhaili, 170; Cabinet des
Fées, XVII, 329. Symeon Seth has for the firefly lithon stilbonta:
the Turkish version in the Cabinet des Fées "Un morceau de crystal
qui brillait." (Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. I, pp. 269, 270).
[41] Benfey compares the Arabic version, (Wolff, I, 93, Knatchbull,
151,) Symeon Seth, 31, John of Capua, o., 2., German translation
(Ulm 1483) G., VI, b., Spanish, XXI, a., Firenzuola, 73, Doni, 104,
Anvár-i-Suhaili, 172, Livre des Lumières, 129, Cabinet des Fées,
XVII, 333, Baldo, Fab. XIX, in Edéléstand du Méril. Benfey points out
that that Somadeva agrees wholly or partly with the Arabic version in
two points. The judges set the tree on fire (or apply smoke to it,)
not Dharmabuddhi, (as in Panchatantra, Benfey, Vol. II, pp. 114 &
ff.) Secondly, in the Panchatantra the father dies and the son is
hanged, in De Sacy's Arabic and the old Greek version both remain
alive, in Somadeva, and John of Capua, and the Anvár-i-Suhaili, the
father dies and the son is punished. Here we have a fresh proof that
the Hebrew version, from which John of Capua translated, is the truest
representative of the oldest Arabic recension. (Benfey's Panchatantra,
Vol. I, p. 275 and ff.) This story has been found in Tibet by the
Head Master of the Bhútia School, Darjiling, Babu Sarat Chandra Dás.
[42] I read with the Sanskrit College MS. asadvyayi.
[43] i. e., "Virtuously-minded." His brother's name
means--"Evil-minded."
[44] Cp. Hitopadesa, Johnson's translation, Fable, VIII, p. 60. Benfey
appears not to be aware that this story is in Somadeva. It corresponds
to the sixth in his 1st Book, Vol. II, p. 67. He thinks that Somadeva
must have rejected it though it was in his copy. Benfey says it
is of Buddhistic origin. It is found in the Arabic version (Wolff,
p. 40, Knatchbull, p. 113), Symeon Seth, (Athenian edition, p. 16),
John of Capua, e., 4, a., German translation, Ulm, 1483 D., IV. b.,
Spanish, XIII, 6, Firenzuola, 38, Doni, 57, Anvár-i-Suhaili, p. 116,
Livre des Lumières, 91, Cabinet des Fées, XVII, 220. It is connected
with the 20th of the 1st book in Benfey's translation, in fact it is
another form of it. (Somadeva's fable seems to be a blending of the
two Panchatantra stories). Cp. also Phædrus, I, 28, Aristophanes,
Aves, 652. (Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. I. pp. 167-170.)
[45] This corresponds to the 21st of the first book in Benfey's
translation, Vol. II, p. 120. Cp. Arabic version (Wolff, I, 98,
Knatchbull, 156.), Symeon Seth, 33, John of Capua, e., 4, German
translation (Ulm, 1483) H., II, b., Firenzuola, 82, Doni, 113,
Anvár-i-Suhaili, 187, Livre des Lumières, 135, Cabinet des Fées, XVII,
353, Robert, Fables inédites, II, 193-196. (Benfey, I, 283). It is the
1st of the IXth Book of La Fontaine's Fables, Le depositaire infidèle.
This is the 218th Játaka. A gámavásí deposits ploughshares with a
nagaravásí who sells them and buys músikavaccam. "Phálá te músike hi
kháditá ti músikavaccam dassesi." The rest much as in our tale. A
kulalo is said to have carried off the son. (Fausböll, Vol. II,
p 181.) If Plutarch is to be believed, the improbability of the
merchant's son's story is not so very striking, for he tells us,
in his life of Marcellus, that rats and mice gnawed the gold in the
temple of Jupiter Capitolinus.
[46] The argument reminds one of that in "Die kluge Bauerntochter,"
(Grimm's Märchen, 94). The king adjudges a foal to the proprietor of
some oxen, because it was found with his beasts. The real owner fishes
in the road with a net. The king demands an explanation. He says,
"It is just as easy for me to catch fish on dry land, as for two
oxen to produce a foal." See also Das Märchen vom sprechenden Bauche,
Kaden's Unter den Olivenbäumen, pp. 83, 84.
[47] This is No. 84 in Stanislas Julien's translation of the Avadánas.
[48] This is No. 67 in Stanislas Julien's translation of the
Avadánas. This story is found in Coelho's Contos Portuguezes,
p. 112. So Ino persuaded the women of the country to roast the
wheat before it was sown, Preller Griechische Mythologie, Vol. II,
p. 312. To this Ovid refers, Fasti, II, 628, and III, 853-54.
[49] This is No. 70 in Stanislas Julien's translation of the Avadánas.
[50] Cp. The Two Noble Kinsmen, Act IV, Scene 2, 1. 110,
His nose stands high, a character of honour.
[51] This is No. 57 in Stanislas Julien's translation of the Avadánas.
[52] This is No. 71 in the Avadánas.
[53] The MS. in the Sanskrit College reads
rájakuládishtakharjúránayanam. This is No. 45 in the Avadánas