Atondido Stories
The Cruel Crane Outwitted
Long ago the Bodisat was born to a forest life as the Genius of a
tree standing near a certain lotus pond.
Now at that time the water used to run short at the dry sea-
son in a certain pond, not over large, in which there were a good
many fish. And a crane thought on seeing the fish.
"I must outwit these fish somehow or other and make a prey
of them."
And he went and sat down at the edge of the water, thinking
how he should do it.
When the fish saw him, they asked him, "What are you
sitting there for, lost in thought?"
"I am sitting thinking about you," said he.
"Oh, sir! what are you thinking about us?" said they.
"Why," he replied; "there is very little water in this pond, and
but little for you to eat; and the heat is so great! So I was think-
ing, 'What in the world will these fish do now?'"
"Yes, indeed, sir! what are we to do?" said they.
"If you will only do as I bid you, I will take you in my beak to
a fine large pond, covered with all the kinds of lotuses, and put
you into it," answered the crane.
"That a crane should take thought for the fishes is a thing un-
heard of, sir, since the world began. It's eating us, one after the
other, that you're aiming at."
"Not I! So long as you trust me, I won't eat you. But if you
don't believe me that there is such a pond, send one of you with
me to go and see it."
Then they trusted him, and handed over to him one of their
number—a big fellow, blind of one eye, whom they thought
sharp enough in any emergency, afloat or ashore.
447