Machwerk
R.W. Aristoquakes
Teil 31 -
97
- Im Elysium -
Hera war als
nächste dran.
"Im
Internet" so sprach sie "kann man
Ohne sich dabei
zu schinden,
Viele
Froschgeschichten finden!"
"Unter
Panchatantra", fuhr sie fort
Fand ich diese
Fabel dort,
Von Gangadatta
dem nicht bange
War einst vor der
Cobraschlange.
The Greedy Cobra and the King of Frogs
- Panchatantra
-
In a certain
well, there lived a king of frogs, by the name of Gangadatta.
He was tormented by the nagging of his relatives, so he climbed up the water-wheel and slipped out, thinking to himself, 'How can I have revenge on them?'.
While he was thinking this, the frog king saw a snake going into his hole.
He thought to himself, 'I know what I will do. I will take this snake down into the well and get all my relatives eaten up'.
Thinking this over, the frog king went and stood outside the entrance of the snake's hole and called, 'Ho, you! My friend!! Come out!'
When the snake heard this, he thought to himself, 'I am sure that is not one of my own kith and kin calling me, for he speaks differently from us.
And anyway, I have no friends whatsoever. So, I'll stay right inside my hole until I find out who he is Maybe he might try to catch me through Mantra ( magic verses), flute music or herbs.'
So cautiously he called out, 'Who is it ? '
The frog king replied, 'I am the king of frogs, and I have come to make friends with you'.
' Well! Said the snake. 'That is very hard to believe! Can grass and fire ever
be friends? 'So why are you talking such nonsense!
'You are indeed my natural enemy. But I am being tormented to death and I have come to you for your help. I want you to eat my enemies'.
"Tell me", said the snake, "who is tormenting you?"
"It's my relatives", said the frog king..
"Well", said the snake, 'where do you live? In a well, a pond, or a lake?'
'In a well, build by layers of stone', replied the frog king.
'But I have no legs', said the snake, 'how can I get into the well? And even if I could, where could I sit and eat your relatives? Go away!'
'Please!' said the frog king, I'll show you how to get into the well comfortably and inside, at the edge of the water level, there is a very nice hole where you can sit and eat them. Come with me'.
When he heard this, the snake thought to himself, 'I have grown old and can't even catch a mouse without great difficulty.
Now this fellow, an enemy of his own species, is showing me a way to live in comfort. I shall go and live there'.
And so, the snake said aloud, ' Oh frog king !
If this is really true, then lead the way and I shall follow you.'
The frog king replied, 'I shall take you by an easy route and show you the hiding place, but you must spare my friends. Eat only the ones, I point out to you'.
"We are friends now", said the snake, "so don't be afraid. I shall do exactly as you've told me".
With these words, the snake came out, embraced the frog king and started along with him.
When they reached the well, the frog king led the snake down by way of the water-wheel and took him to the hole.
He made the snake comfortable and then pointed out to him those relatives who were not on good terms with him.
And, one by one, the snake ate them up.
When these frogs had been exhausted, the snake said to the frog king, 'Please give me some food.
Afterall, it was you who brought me here, so you are responsible to feed me'.
'Snake" said the frog king, 'you have done me a friendly service.
Now go home the way you came down the water-wheel'
'Oh frog king !' Said the snake. 'That's not fair! The hole where I used to live, must have been occupied by someone else by now.
No, I will stay here. Go on giving me your relatives one by one. If you don't I will eat up every one of you'.
When the frog heard this, he was overwhelmed with grief and he thought to himself, ' What a stupid thing I have done in bringing the snake here. If I oppose him, he will eat us all. So everyday, I will allow him to eat a friend'.
So, the frog king came to a decision and he began to offer the snake one frog everyday.
The snake ate what was offered to him and also began to eat the other frogs as well, without the knowledge of the frog king.
One day, the snake also ate up, the son of the frog king, along with some others.
When the frog king came to know this, he began to wail in a loud voice, 'Oh, the wretched fellow that I am!' And he was inconsolable.
Then the wife said to him, 'What is the good of crying now? You are the cause of the destruction of our own kith and kin. Who will rescue us? You had better work out a plan to escape or else to kill the snake'.
Now, in due course, all the frogs were finished off. Only the frog king was left.
Then the snake said to the frog king, 'I am hungry! There are no frogs left. Please get me something to eat, for after all, you brought me here'.
'My friend', replied the frog king' As long as I am here, you have no need to worry on any account. Now if you allow me to leave this well and go to another one, I shall win the confidence of other frogs and bring them here'.
'You have been like a brother to me!' Said the snake. 'I shall never eat you. Now, if you carry out what you have promised, you will be to me like a father, so, please go'.
And so, the frog king offered prayers to innumerable Gods and left the well.
The snake waited anxiously for his return, but all in vain.
After a long time the snake said to a female lizard living nearby, 'Madam please give me a little help. You have known the frog king for a long time. Would you find him for me in one of the other wells and give him a message? Tell him, "If the frogs aren't coming, at least you return quickly.
I can't bear to be separated form you'. And tell him, 'If I ever harm you, may I lose all the merits I have earned in my life so far!'
The lizard found the frog king in one of the other wells and said, " Oh you frog king !! Your friend , the snake, is anxiously waiting for your return. He won't harm you.
He has staked all his good deeds as a guarantee for your safety. So come along, don't be afraid.'
'But ', the frog king replied, ' what sin will a starving man not commit? Weak people become cruel. Madam! Please tell the snake that the frog king will never again return to the well'.
And with those words, he sent her away.
He was tormented by the nagging of his relatives, so he climbed up the water-wheel and slipped out, thinking to himself, 'How can I have revenge on them?'.
While he was thinking this, the frog king saw a snake going into his hole.
He thought to himself, 'I know what I will do. I will take this snake down into the well and get all my relatives eaten up'.
Thinking this over, the frog king went and stood outside the entrance of the snake's hole and called, 'Ho, you! My friend!! Come out!'
When the snake heard this, he thought to himself, 'I am sure that is not one of my own kith and kin calling me, for he speaks differently from us.
And anyway, I have no friends whatsoever. So, I'll stay right inside my hole until I find out who he is Maybe he might try to catch me through Mantra ( magic verses), flute music or herbs.'
So cautiously he called out, 'Who is it ? '
The frog king replied, 'I am the king of frogs, and I have come to make friends with you'.
'You are indeed my natural enemy. But I am being tormented to death and I have come to you for your help. I want you to eat my enemies'.
"Tell me", said the snake, "who is tormenting you?"
"It's my relatives", said the frog king..
"Well", said the snake, 'where do you live? In a well, a pond, or a lake?'
'In a well, build by layers of stone', replied the frog king.
'But I have no legs', said the snake, 'how can I get into the well? And even if I could, where could I sit and eat your relatives? Go away!'
'Please!' said the frog king, I'll show you how to get into the well comfortably and inside, at the edge of the water level, there is a very nice hole where you can sit and eat them. Come with me'.
When he heard this, the snake thought to himself, 'I have grown old and can't even catch a mouse without great difficulty.
Now this fellow, an enemy of his own species, is showing me a way to live in comfort. I shall go and live there'.
And so, the snake said aloud, ' Oh frog king !
If this is really true, then lead the way and I shall follow you.'
The frog king replied, 'I shall take you by an easy route and show you the hiding place, but you must spare my friends. Eat only the ones, I point out to you'.
"We are friends now", said the snake, "so don't be afraid. I shall do exactly as you've told me".
With these words, the snake came out, embraced the frog king and started along with him.
When they reached the well, the frog king led the snake down by way of the water-wheel and took him to the hole.
He made the snake comfortable and then pointed out to him those relatives who were not on good terms with him.
And, one by one, the snake ate them up.
When these frogs had been exhausted, the snake said to the frog king, 'Please give me some food.
Afterall, it was you who brought me here, so you are responsible to feed me'.
'Snake" said the frog king, 'you have done me a friendly service.
Now go home the way you came down the water-wheel'
'Oh frog king !' Said the snake. 'That's not fair! The hole where I used to live, must have been occupied by someone else by now.
No, I will stay here. Go on giving me your relatives one by one. If you don't I will eat up every one of you'.
When the frog heard this, he was overwhelmed with grief and he thought to himself, ' What a stupid thing I have done in bringing the snake here. If I oppose him, he will eat us all. So everyday, I will allow him to eat a friend'.
So, the frog king came to a decision and he began to offer the snake one frog everyday.
The snake ate what was offered to him and also began to eat the other frogs as well, without the knowledge of the frog king.
One day, the snake also ate up, the son of the frog king, along with some others.
When the frog king came to know this, he began to wail in a loud voice, 'Oh, the wretched fellow that I am!' And he was inconsolable.
Then the wife said to him, 'What is the good of crying now? You are the cause of the destruction of our own kith and kin. Who will rescue us? You had better work out a plan to escape or else to kill the snake'.
Now, in due course, all the frogs were finished off. Only the frog king was left.
Then the snake said to the frog king, 'I am hungry! There are no frogs left. Please get me something to eat, for after all, you brought me here'.
'My friend', replied the frog king' As long as I am here, you have no need to worry on any account. Now if you allow me to leave this well and go to another one, I shall win the confidence of other frogs and bring them here'.
'You have been like a brother to me!' Said the snake. 'I shall never eat you. Now, if you carry out what you have promised, you will be to me like a father, so, please go'.
And so, the frog king offered prayers to innumerable Gods and left the well.
The snake waited anxiously for his return, but all in vain.
After a long time the snake said to a female lizard living nearby, 'Madam please give me a little help. You have known the frog king for a long time. Would you find him for me in one of the other wells and give him a message? Tell him, "If the frogs aren't coming, at least you return quickly.
I can't bear to be separated form you'. And tell him, 'If I ever harm you, may I lose all the merits I have earned in my life so far!'
The lizard found the frog king in one of the other wells and said, " Oh you frog king !! Your friend , the snake, is anxiously waiting for your return. He won't harm you.
He has staked all his good deeds as a guarantee for your safety. So come along, don't be afraid.'
'But ', the frog king replied, ' what sin will a starving man not commit? Weak people become cruel. Madam! Please tell the snake that the frog king will never again return to the well'.
And with those words, he sent her away.
The wise indeed says :
Fight your own battles else you will surely be destroyed.
***
wird fortgesetzt
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