5. Quails and Fowler.
In union there is strength.
Jātaka 33: i. 208-210.
Then said the Exalted One to those monks: “Monks, be united; do not wrangle. For because of a wrangle many thousand quails lost their lives.”
Then said the Exalted One to those monks: “Monks, be united; do not wrangle. For because of a wrangle many thousand quails lost their lives.”
Intimes past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was reborn as a quail, and lived in the forest with a retinue of many thousand quails. At that time a certain quail-hunter used to go to the haunt of the quails and attract them by imitating a quail’s whistle. When he perceived that they had assembled, he would throw a net over them and huddle them all together by trampling the edges. Then he would fill his basket, go home, and sell them. Thus he made his living.
Now one day the Future Buddha said to those quails: “This fowler is bringing our kinsfolk to destruction. I know a way by which he shall not be able to catch us. From this time on, the moment he throws the net over you, let each quail stick his head through a single mesh, lift the net, and carrying it wherever you will, let it down on some thorn-brake. This done, we can escape each through his own mesh.” They all assented, saying, “Very well!”
When the net was thrown over them on the following day, they raised the net precisely as the Future Buddha had told them to, dropped it on a certain thorn-brake, and themselves escaped from under. Twilight came on with the fowler still busy disentangling the net from the brake, and he went away absolutely empty-handed. On the next day, and thereafter also, the quails did the very same thing. The fowler also, busy every moment until sunset disentangling the net, got nothing, and went home absolutely empty-handed.
Now his wife got angry and said: “Day after day you return empty-handed; I suppose there is some other household outside you have to provide for too.” Said the fowler: “My dear, there is no other household I have to provide for. The fact is, these quails are acting in unison. The moment I throw the net, they depart with it and drop it on a thorn-brake. But they will not live in unity forever. Do not worry. When they fall to wrangling, I will return with them all and bring a smile to your lips.” And he recited the following stanza to his wife:
United, the birds go away with the net;But when they fall out, they’ll come into my power.
United, the birds go away with the net;But when they fall out, they’ll come into my power.
United, the birds go away with the net;
But when they fall out, they’ll come into my power.
Now after only a few days had passed, one quail, lighting on the feeding-ground, accidentally trod on the head of another. The other was offended andsaid: “Who trod on my head?” “I did, but accidentally; do not be offended.” But the other was offended just the same. They bandied words and wrangled with each other, saying, “You alone, I suppose, lift the net!”
While they wrangled, the Future Buddha thought: “There is no safety for a wrangler. From this moment they will not lift the net. Then they will come to a sorry end. The fowler will get his chance. It is impossible for me to live in this place.” And he went elsewhere with his own retinue.
As for the fowler, he came back after a few days, imitated a quail’s whistle, and when the quails had assembled, threw the net over them. Then said one quail: “They say that in the very act of lifting the net, you lost the down on your head. Now lift!” Said another: “They say that in the very act of lifting the net, you lost your wing-feathers. Now lift!”
Even as they said: “You lift!” “You lift!” the fowler tossed the net. And huddling them all together, he filled his basket, and went home and brought a smile to the lips of his wife.
And for the second time the Exalted One said this to those monks: “Enough, monks! No quarreling! No brawling! No contending! No wrangling!”But in spite of this, they paid no attention to his words. Thereupon the Exalted One related the following Story of the Past:
And for the second time the Exalted One said this to those monks: “Enough, monks! No quarreling! No brawling! No contending! No wrangling!”
But in spite of this, they paid no attention to his words. Thereupon the Exalted One related the following Story of the Past: