Taking sticks and whips in their hands, they beat us over our buttocks and faces, and whatever comes into their mouths, abuse or obscenity, they bawl out. The measure of their folly reaches even to this, that they often utter abuse and employ obscene expressions against themselves, their sisters, and their daughters. . . . . All this abuse is heaped on them and their masters: but it is true they deserve it.

"If the King would consider this ignorance, folly, and obscene talk of theirs, he would perceive that they are filled with the wickedness, vice, ignorance, and stupidity of the whole world. But still they take no heed of these villainies, and never allow the precepts and admonitions of God and the Prophet to enter into their ears, notwithstanding that they themselves read these verses of the Kurán, (Arabic, the meaning of which is,) ' If you desire pardon from God, then do you also pass over the offences of others.'1 (Arabic, i.e.) 'O Muhammad, command the faithful to pardon the sins of unbelievers.'2 (Arabic, i.e.) 'Whatever carnivorous and herbivorous animals and birds walk upon the earth or fly in the air, the condition of all these is like your own.'3 (Arabic, i.e.) 'When you ride upon camels think upon the bounties of God, and say, He is holy who made subject to us an animal like this, over whom we should never have been able to prevail; and we shall return to God.""4

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When the mule ceased from the speech, the camel said to the pig, Do you also tell the oppression which your race has suffered at the hands of men, and set it forth in the presence of so just a King; perhaps he, showing compassion and kindness, will give deliverance from their hands to such of us as are captives, for your species also belongs to the herbivorous class." A sage said, "The pig does not belong to

1 Kurán, Súrat xxiv. v. 22.

3 Kurán, Súrat vi. v. 38.

2 Kurán, Súrat xlv. v. 13.

4 Lit. "We are returners to God." Kurán, Súrat xliii. v. 12.

the herbivorous but to the carnivorous animals. Dost thou not know that his teeth protrude, and that he also eats carrion?" The other replied, “He is herbivorous, for he has hoofs, and he also eats grass." A third said he is both carnivorous and herbivorous, and is allied to the cattle, in the same way as the camelopard is allied to the bull, camel, and leopard; and he is like the ostrich, in whose form those of the bird and the camel are blended.

The pig said to the camel, “I know nothing about it; what can I say, or of whom shall I complain? There is much variety in their way of treating me. Musulmans consider us deformed and accursed; they deem our figures detestable and our flesh unclean, and they abstain from mentioning us. The Turkish Greeks eat our flesh with avidity; they consider it as holy, and the making sacrifices of it they deem very meritorious. The Jews have great aversion and hatred of us; they abuse and curse us inoffensive animals because they are at enmity with the Nazarenes and Greeks. The Armenians esteem us even as oxen and goats; nay, they even prize us more in consequence of the fatness and thickness of our flesh, and the abundance of our offspring. The Greek physicians employ our fat in many of their remedies; nay, they even put it in their medicines. Herdsmen and grooms keep us in their stables and pastures near to their animals and horses, because by our staying there the horses and animals are preserved from many evils. Enchanters and magicians cover their books and magical instruments with our skins. Saddlers and shoemakers pull out the bristles of our necks and whiskers with great avidity and eagerness, for these are very serviceable to them. We are bewildered, we can say nothing; whom shall we praise, whom shall we blame?"

When the hog had finished saying all this, the ass looked towards the hare, who was standing near the camel, and said

to him, "Do you rehearse in the presence of the King all the tyranny which your species has endured from men. Perhaps the King, taking pity, will grant deliverance from their hands to us captives." The hare said, "We live far away from them; having left off dwelling in their country, we have chosen to take up our abode in valleys and jungles; and through this we are saved from their oppression. But we are terribly troubled by dogs and birds of prey,1 who render assistance to men, with the object of catching us, and lead them towards us. They make over as captives into the hands of men all the deer, oxen, camels, goats, and herbivorous animals of our fraternity who have taken refuge in the hills."

Then the hare said, “The hunting dogs are excusable in this. They ought to help them, for they also are very fond of eating our flesh, and they do not belong to our species, but on the contrary are carnivorous animals. But the horse belongs to the graminivorous animals, and does not eat our flesh; why should he assist them, unless it be entirely from his stupidity and folly ?”

1 Shikárí-jánwar, hunting animals: falcons, hawks, and such like.

WHE

CHAPTER V.

Account of the Horse.

HEN the man heard all these words of the hare, he said, "Enough, be silent; thou hast reproached the horse enough; if thou hadst but known that he is the best of all animals, and that he is obedient to man, thou wouldst not have babbled so stupidly." The King asked the man what the horse's superiority was, and he answered, “Your Majesty, the good qualities and excellences of the horse are numerous. His form is good, every limb is appropriate, his appearance is handsome, his instincts sound, his colour is fine, he excels in intelligence, he is swift in running, he is obedient to his rider, for he quickly turns right or left, forwards or backwards, or wherever his rider may direct him. He does not flinch from galloping, and he is so well trained that whilst his rider is seated on his back, he neither stales nor dungs; and if his tail ever gets wet in mud or water, he does not shake it, lest his rider should be sprinkled. His strength is like an elephant's, for he trots along carrying his rider with his helmet, mail and armour, as well as his own saddle, bridle, and armour, altogether a load of five hundred maunds.1 He is so patient and enduring that on the battlefield he receives wounds from spears and arrows in his breast and in his vitals, and yet remains quiet. His speed is such that the wind cannot overtake the dust of his heels. In his

1 Some read "seers," which is nearer, though also above the mark.

proud walk he is like a stately bull, his jumping is like a leopard's. If his rider lays a wager, then he runs quickly, and brings his rider in first. In whom except the horse are all these merits to be found?"

The hare said, "With all these merits there is also one great fault under which all these merits are hidden." The King asked what it was, and told him to explain. The hare said, "He is very stupid and ignorant, and does not know friend from foe. If he passes under the thighs of an enemy, he becomes submissive to him; and in the battle-field he will, at the direction of this enemy, his new master, charge and attack the man in whose house he was born, and by whom he has been nourished all his days. This trait of his is like the nature of the sword, but that is inanimate, and is unable to distinguish between friend and foe; just as it cuts its enemy and opponent, so also when it falls upon the neck of its owner or maker, it severs his head from his body without hesitation, and knows no difference between friends and strangers.

"The same trait of character is found in men, who war against their parents, brothers, sisters, and relations, and bring into operation all kinds of tricks and stratagems. That treatment which ought to be practised against enemies they employ against their friends. In infancy they drink the milk of their parents, and are nourished in their bosoms, but in early manhood they become their enemies. In the same way they drink the milk of animals, and are benefited by making garments of their skin and hair, but after all they slaughter those same animals, strip off their skins, rip up their bellies, and make them taste the flavour of fire. In their barbarity and cruelty they altogether forget the obligations and benefits received from them."

When the hare ceased from his censure of the man and horse, the ass said to him, "Enough; so great condemnation