Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon (Volume 3 of 3)

In a certain country there are a Hare, and a Mouse-deer, and a Parrot near a river,it is said. The three every day come to the river to drink water.

One day the Parrot said to the Hare, “Friend.”

Then the Hare having said, “What? We two are friends indeed. From our friendship whatwill be the profit? Should you find and give me a mate we should indeed be friends,”afterwards the Parrot said, “If so, stay there until the time when I come [after]finding a mate for you,” and the Parrot drank water and went away.

On the following day, when the Parrot came he met with a Mouse-deer. Having seen theParrot the Mouse-deer says, “Friend, where is your friend?”

The Parrot says, “My friend has not come to-day.”

Then the Mouse-deer says, “What friendship with those Hares! If you become friendlywith us what things cannot we do!”

Then the Parrot says, “Friend, he is [my] former first friend; now then, I cannotabandon him.”

At that the Mouse-deer having become a little angry went away. Having so gone, theMouse-deer, seeking the Hare, says to1 the Hare, “Friend, with that Parrot what friendship! The food which that one eatsis different, the place where that one lies down is different, that one is an animalwhich flies [in the air] above. Are we so? We lie down in one place, we eat one food.Because of it, give up [your] [4]friendship with that one.” At that the Hare became a little angry.

After that, the Mouse-deer, having gone near the Parrot, says, “Take you [to heart]the things that I say, O Parrot-youngster.”

Thereupon the Parrot said, “What, friend?”

The Mouse-deer says, “The sort called Hares at any place whatever are not trusted.”

Then the Parrot asked, “Well then, what are you telling me