ABSTRACT
In the long past times there hved in a dense forest four animals ; a partridge, 2 a hare, a monkey, and an elephant. As they had become attached to each other, they hved together in harmony and full content, and spent their time joyfully, without fear or strife.But after some time it occurred to them that although, actuated by a reciprocal attachment, they hved without strife in full content, yet as they did not know which of their number they ought most to esteem, honour, and revere, they must for that purpose investigate their several ages.So they began to take counsel with one another, in order to find out which of them was the oldest. Then the partridge pointed out a fig-tree, and said : ” 0 honoured ones, at what periods of its growth has each of us seen this fig-tree ? ”The elephant said: “When I came this way with our herd I saw this tree of the size of my body.”The monkey said : “ When I came this way with our troop, I saw that its size was the same as my own.” Then said the animals : ” You are older than the elephant.”The hare said : “When the tree had only two lewes, I hcked the dew-drops off them with my tongue.”Then the animals said : ” You are older than both the others.”The partridge said: ”So ye have seen the fig-tree when it was of a certain size ?” They said that they had.“ But I,” it continued, ” having eaten seed, let fall that from which this tree has sprung.” The animals said : ”If that is so, you are the oldest among us.”Thereupon the elephant began to pay honour to all the others, and the monkey to the hare and the partridge, and the hare to the partridge.In this way they showed each other reverence according to their respective ages.
