| HAST thou heard that in the time of old |
| The sheep dwelling in a certain pasture |
| So increased and multiplied |
| That they feared no enemy? |
540 |
| At last, from the malice of Fate, |
| Their breasts were smitten by a shaft of calamity. |
| The tigers sprang forth from the jungle |
| And rushed upon the sheepfold |
| Conquest and dominion are signs of strength, |
545 |
| Victory is the manifestation of strength. |
| Those fierce tigers beat the drum of sovereignty, |
| They deprived the sheep of freedom. |
| For as much as tigers must have their prey, |
| That meadow was crimsoned with the blood of the sheep. |
550 |
| One of the sheep which was clever and acute. |
| Old in years, cunning was a weather beaten wolf, |
| Being grieved at the fate of his fellows |
| And sorely vexed by the violence of the tigers, |
| Made complaint of the course of Destiny |
555 |
| And sought by craft to restore the fortunes of his race. |
| The weak, in order to preserve themselves, |
| Seek device from skilled intelligence. |
| In slavery, for the sake of repelling harm, |
| The power of scheming becomes quickened. |
560 |
| And when the madness of revenge gains hold, |
| The mind of the slave meditates rebellion. |
| "Ours is a hard knot,'' said this sheep to himself, |
| "The ocean of our griefs hath no shore, |
| By force we sheep cannot escape from the tiger: |
565 |
| Our legs are silver, his paws are steel. |
| 'Tis not possible, however much one exhorts and counsels. |
| To create in a sheep the disposition of a wolf. |
| But to make the furious tiger a sheep-that is possible: |
| To make him unmindful of his nature-that is possible." |
570 |
| He became as a prophet inspired, |
| And began to preach to the blood-thirsty tigers. |
| He cried out, "O ye insolent liars, |
| Who want not of a day of ill luck that shall continue for ever!57 |
| I am possessed of spiritual power, |
575 |
| 1 am an apostle sent by God for the tigers. |
| I come as. a light for the eye that is dark, |
| I come to establish laws and give commandments. |
| Repent of your blameworthy deeds; |
| O plotters of evil, bethink yourselves of good! |
580 |
| Whose is violent and strong is. miserable: |
| Life's solidity depends on self-denial. |
| The spirit of the righteous is fed by fodder: |
| The vegetarian is pleasing unto God, |
| The sharpness of your teeth brings disgrace upon you |
585 |
| And makes the eye of your perception blind. |
| Paradise is for the weak alone, |
| Strength is but a means to perdition. |
| It is wicked to seek greatness and glory, |
| Penury is sweeter than princedom. |
590 |
| Lightning does not threaten the cornseed: |
| If the seed become a stack, it is unwise. |
| If you are sensible, you will be a mote of sand, not a Sahara, |
| So that you may enjoy the sunbeams. |
| O thou that delightest in the slaughter of sheep, |
595 |
| Slay thy self, and thou wilt have honour! |
| Life is rendered unstable |
| By violence, oppression, revenge, and exercise of power. |
| Though trodden underfoot, the grass grows up time after time |
| And washes the sleep of death from its eye again and again. |
600 |
| Forget thy self, if thou art wise! |
| If thou dost not forget thy self, thou art mad. |
| Close thine eyes, close thine ears, close thy lips,58 |
| That thy thought may reach the lofty sky! |
| This pasturage of the world is naught, naught: |
605 |
| O fool, do not torment thy phantom! |
| The tiger-tribe was exhausted by hard struggles, |
| They had set their hearts on enjoyment of luxury. |
| This soporific advice pleased them, |
| In their stupidity they swallowed the charm of the sheep. |
610 |
| He that used to make sheep his prey |
| Now embraced a sheep's religion. |
| The tigers took kindly to a diet of fodder: |
| At length their tigerish nature was broken. |
| The fodder blunted their teeth |
615 |
| And put out the awful flashings of their eyes. |
| By degrees courage ebbed from their breasts, |
| The sheen departed from mirror. |
| That frenzy of uttermost exertion remained not, |
| That craving after action dwelt in their hearts no more. |
620 |
| They lost the power of ruling and the resolution to be independent, |
| They lost reputation, prestige, and fortune. |
| Their paws that were as iron became strengthless; |
| Their souls died and their bodies became tombs. |
| Bodily strength diminished while spiritual fear increased; |
625 |
| Spiritual fear robbed them of courage. |
| Lack Of courage produced a hundred diseases— |
| Poverty, pusillanimity, low mindedness. |
| The wakeful tiger was lulled to Slumber by the sheep's charm |
| He called his decline Moral Culture. |
630 |
