The Brahmin, the Goat and the Three Rogues

In a certain place lived a brahmin named Mitrasharma, a keeper of the sacred fire. In the month of Magha, with a soft wind blowing, clouds over the sun and a light rain falling, he went to another village to ask for a sacrificial animal: "Sir, I am to perform a sacrifice at the new moon; give me one animal."

He was given a well-fed goat. He examined it, found it strong, lifted it onto his shoulder and set off briskly for his own town.

On the road three rogues saw him with the plump animal on his shoulder. Faint with hunger they said to one another: "If we could eat that fat beast, this cold would be bearable. Come, let us cheat him out of it."

One of them changed his clothes, came towards him from the front and said: "You foolish fire-priest! Why do this laughable, disgraceful thing — carrying a dog on your shoulder? Dogs, cocks, chandalas, donkeys and camels are all unclean; one should not even touch them."

The brahmin said angrily: "Are you blind? You call a goat a dog!" The man said: "Brahmin, don't be angry; go as you please."

A little further on the second rogue came from the front and said: "Alas, brahmin! Even if this dead calf was dear to you, it is not fitting to carry it on your shoulder." The brahmin faltered, but scolded him too and went on.

A short distance later the third came and said the same thing with the same certainty. Now, hearing one and the same statement from three separate strangers, the brahmin's confidence broke: "Surely my eyes have deceived me; this animal is not clean."

He threw it down from his shoulder, went off to bathe as one defiled, and returned home — and the three rogues took the goat and ate it together.

So it is said: many wits acting together can cheat even the knowing and the strong.

बहुबुद्धिसमायुक्ताः सुविज्ञानान् बलोत्कटान् । शक्ता वञ्चयितुं धूर्ता ब्राह्मणं छागलादिव ॥

Moral: Rogues with wit enough between them can cheat even the knowing and the strong — as they cheated the brahmin out of his goat.

From the Panchatantra, Book III — Of Crows and Owls.