The Jackal and the Dead Elephant
A jackal finds a dead elephant whose hide he cannot break. Then a lion arrives, and a tiger, and a leopard, and a rival jackal.
In a forest region lived a jackal named Mahachaturaka. Once he found an elephant in the forest that had died of itself. He went all round it, but nowhere could he break through the tough hide.
Just then a lion came wandering by. Seeing him, the jackal bowed with folded paws and said: "Master! I am here as your own watchman, guarding this elephant for you. Let the master eat it!"
Seeing him bow, the lion said: "I never eat what another has killed. Even a starving lion in the forest does not graze on grass; just so, a well-born creature does not leave the path of right conduct however hard-pressed he is." At this the jackal said gladly: "Then the master has, of his kindness, given it to me!"
The lion went off. Then a tiger arrived. Seeing him, the jackal thought: "One villain I got rid of by bowing; how do I get rid of this one? He is brave; nothing will work but division."
He went a little towards him, frowned, and said quickly: "Uncle! How have you walked into the mouth of death? This elephant was killed by the lion; he has appointed me its guard and gone to bathe in the river. As he left he told me: 'If any tiger comes here, tell me quietly, so that I may rid this forest of tigers. Once before, an elephant I killed was eaten first by a tiger and left as scraps; ever since I have been angry with tigers.'"
Hearing this the tiger was seized with fear and said: "Nephew! Spare my life; and if he comes and asks after me, say I was never here." And he fled at speed.
When the tiger was gone, a leopard came. The jackal thought: "His teeth are strong; let me use him to open the elephant's hide." He said: "Nephew! I have not seen you for so long! You look hungry. Be my guest — this elephant was killed by the lion and I am its guard. But eat a little quickly and go, before he comes."
The leopard said: "Uncle, in that case I have no use for such a meal; one should eat only what turns out well in the end. So I shall go." The jackal said: "Do not be afraid; eat. I shall call out to you from a long way off when he comes."
So the leopard tore open the hide and began to eat — and the moment the jackal saw that the hide was breached, he shouted: "Nephew! Run — the lion is coming!" The leopard fled.
Now, with the hide open, the jackal set about eating the flesh himself. Before long another jackal, his equal in strength, arrived — and him he drove off by the force of his own teeth, and for a long while afterwards he ate that elephant undisturbed.
उत्तमं प्रणिपातेन शूरं भेदेन योजयेत् । नीचमल्पप्रदानेन समशक्तिं पराक्रमैः ॥
Moral: Manage the noble by bowing, the brave by division, the base by a small gift, and your equal in strength by force.
From the Panchatantra, Book IV — Loss of Gains.
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