186 Analytical Account qf the Pancha Tantra. 



brother, instantly attacked him, and, after a furious encounter, tore him to 

 pieces. Pleased with his prowess, and the service he had rendered, he ran to 

 meet his mistress on her return home, his jaws and face besmeared with 

 blood. As soon as the Brd/ima7i's wife beheld him, she was convinced that 

 he had killed her child, and in her rage and agitation, she threw the water 

 jar at the ichneumon with all her force, and killed him on the spot. She 

 then rushed into the house, where she found the child still asleep, and the 

 body of a venomous snake torn in pieces at the foot of the bed. Siie then 

 perceived the error she had committed, and beat her breast and face witli 

 grief, for the unmerited fate of her faithful little favourite. In this state 

 her husband found her on his return. When he had told her the cause of 

 his absenting himself, she reproached him bitterly for that greedy desire of 

 profit, which had caused all the mischief, forgetting, she said, the saying, 

 " Excessive cupidity is to be avoided, although all desire of profit be not 

 relinquished. The wheel whirls round his head, who evinced inordinate 

 avarice." The husband asked her how that happened, and she replied : 



" There dwelt in a certain town four Bruhmans, all intimate friends, and 

 equally poor. They consulted together what was to be done ; for poverty, 

 they agreed, was intolerable. Patrons, however well attended, are dis- 

 satisfied ; friends and sons desert tlie poor ; merit is of no avail, and mis- 

 fortunes multiply. Wives of the best family abandon their husbands ; 

 friends transfer their attachment to more powerful individuals. Again, let 

 a man be brave, handsome, eloquent, and learned, without wealtii, he 

 obtains not any enjoyment, and is as a dead man amongst the living. Better 

 death, than poverty. Again, it is said, " Arise, my friend, for a moment, 

 and remove the burden of indigence from my fate, that I may share with 

 you the felicity which death atibrds. It is better, therefore, to go to the 

 cemetery at once, and become a corpse, than live in poverty." The 

 friends assented to this, and agreed, that every effort should be adopted to 

 acquire wealth, as it is said, nothing is obtained by him who has not money. 

 Let, therefore, the wise man attach himself to its acquirement. Wealth is 

 acquirable by six means : begging, service, agriculture, science, usury, 

 and trade : of which, trade is the best, as its profits are most independently 

 realized ; as it is observed : " The food obtained as alms may be carried off 

 by crows ; the favour of a prince or patron may be withdrawn ; agriculture 

 is laborious; and the respect to be paid to a preceptor in acquiring know- 

 ledge, is troublesome ; usury brings poverty on other people ; so that the 



