The Cat who Guarded the Precepts

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Duraya. North-western Province.




HOW THE CAT BECAME AN UPASAKA. [130] (VARIANT.)

At a certain time, at the house of a Gamarala, milk having been
taken and placed on the shelf by him [to curdle], the Gamarala went
to the chena.

There is a Cat at the house. The Cat having looked [to see] when
the Gamarala was not there, went to the shelf to eat the curds by
stealth. Having gone there and eaten them by stealth, as he was
coming away the Gamarala came home from the chena, and the Cat,
becoming afraid, sprang down.

The Gamarala's rosary was hanging on the shelf. As the Cat deceitfully
was springing down, the rosary fell on the Cat's neck. Then while the
rosary was on its neck it goes away. Why? Should the Gamarala get to
know about its eating the curds he would thrash it inordinately.

Well then, as it was going it met with a Rat. The Rat [seeing the
rosary] asked the Cat, "Upasakarala, [131] where are you going?"

"I am going to guard the Precepts," he said. "You also come and go
along with me," he said.

At the time when the two were going they met with the Squirrel called
the Three-lined Chief. [132] "Upasakarala, where are you going?" he
asked.

"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us,"
he said. The Squirrel having said, "Ha. I will come," the three went
along [together].

As they were going they met with the Ground Cuckoo called Bum-bum
the Tom-tom Beater. "Where, Upasakarala, are you going?" he asked.

"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come," he said.

The Ground Cuckoo having said, "Ha. If so, I also will come," the
four went together.

At the time when they were going they met with the Hare called Tokkan
the Devil-dancer. "Upasakaralas, where are you going?" he asked.

"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us,"
he said.

Well then, the five went to the jungle. Having gone on and on, there
was a rock cave. Having said, "Look there! Our pansala," he told
the people to creep inside. "In order that I may go and rehearse the
Precepts, let no single other person besides cause any disturbance,"
he said.

Then the Rat, being hungry during the night, was wriggling about. So
the Upasaka Cat said, "Ade! While Bum-bum the Tom-tom Beater stays
there quietly, while the Three-lined Chief stays there [quietly],
while Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there [quietly], this one does
not take [to heart] the things that were said. Being on guard over
it I must put it out of the way." [133] Saying this, he ate the Rat.

At the daybreak watch the Ground Cuckoo crowed [as usual]. After it
had crowed, the Cat said, "While the Three-lined Chief stays there
[quietly], while Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there [quietly],
because this one is making noises, and as I am on guard over it,
I must put it out of the way," and seizing that one also he ate it.

As it became light in the morning, at the time when the Squirrels
were singing, "Tin-Tin," the Three-lined Chief also sang, "Tin-Tin."

Then the Cat said, "While Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there quietly,
and I stay here [quietly], this one having said it through arrogance,
and as I am on guard over it, I must put it out of the way." Having
said this he ate that one also.

Now then, the Hare called Tokkan the Devil-dancer ascertaining that
he was eating it, began to cry in the morning.

"What, Tokkan the Devil-dancer, are you crying for?" he asked.

"I know thoroughly how to dance dances. Because there is no one to
look at the dances I was sorry," he said.

After he had said, "If so, dance a little for me to look at it,"
the Hare said, "Upasakarala, open the doorway so that a little light
may fall into the cave. Having seen my dance you must eat me also,"
the Hare said.

When he moved from the door, out of the way, for a little light to
fall inside, the Hare, having jumped to the four corners of the cave,
springing over the head of the Cat went away.


P. B. Madahapola, Ratemahatmaya. North-western Province.




HOW THE CAT PERFORMED BELL WORSHIP. (VARIANT.)

In a certain country a man reared a Cat, it is said. The Cat every day
goes to eat by stealth in the villages. On account of it the man one
day caught the Cat, and having tied a hawk's bell [134] on its neck,
let it go.

After that, the Cat, without going that day into the village, went
away along the path. As it was going along it met with a Rat. The
Rat asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord, are you going?"

Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."

The Rat asked, "Shall I come too?"

The Cat said, "It is good."

The Rat also having set off, as the two were going away they met
with a Squirrel. The Squirrel asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord,
are you going?"

Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."

The Squirrel asked, "Shall I come too?"

After that, the Cat said, "It is good."

Now then, the Squirrel having set off, as the three were going away
they met with a Jungle-cock. The Jungle-cock asked the Cat, "Where,
O Cat-Lord, are you going?"

Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."

The Jungle-cock said, "I shall come too."

To that the Cat said, "It is good."

The Jungle-cock having set off, the four persons went to a great rock
cave in the jungle. Having made those three remain in the direction
of the corner, the Cat stayed at the doorway.

After being there [a short time], the Cat first of all said to the Rat,
"O Rat, [135] I am hungry."

Then the Rat said, "Let it be according to the wish of the
Cat-Lord." After that, the Cat, seizing the Rat, ate it.

In a little more time the Cat said to the Squirrel, "O Squirrel,
[136] I am hungry."

At that time the Squirrel also said, "Let it be according to the wish
of the Cat-Lord."

So the Cat having seized the Squirrel also, ate it.

In a little more time the Cat said to the Jungle-cock, "O Jungle-cock,
[137] I am hungry."

At that time the Jungle-cock said falsely, "Let it be according to
the wish of the Cat-Lord."

Afterwards, when the Cat was approaching very near the Jungle-cock,
having sprung at the Cat's face and with his spurs having plucked out
both his eyes, the Jungle-cock flew away. The Cat there and then died.


Cultivating Caste. North-western Province.



The Precepts of Buddha to which reference is made in the first two
stories, are the Ata-sil, or Eight Precepts, the keeping of which
by lay devotees, called Upasakas, is a necessary obligation. The
first one prohibits the taking of life. The others are against
theft, immorality, lying, drinking intoxicants, eating after noon,
attendance at theatrical amusements, dancing, singing, etc., and
personal adornment.

In the Jataka story No. 128 (vol. i, p. 281) there is an account of
a Jackal who pretended to lead a saintly life, standing on one leg
because the earth could not support his weight if he stood on all four,
he said. He ate the rats which came to pay their respects to him,
always seizing the hindmost as they left. The King of the Rats waited
till the others had gone, and then sprang at the Jackal's throat and
killed him. The next story, No. 129, is similar.

In No. 384 (vol. iii, p. 170) a Crow pretended to be a saint, and
also stood on one leg for the same reason, saying that it fed only
on wind. When the other birds left it in charge of their young ones
it ate them. At last it was killed by the other birds.

In the Maha Bharata (Udyoga Parva) a Cat which pretended to be an
ascetic killed the mice that placed themselves under its protection.

In the Hitopadesa a Cat which gained the confidence of the birds by
its pious demeanour ate their young ones.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 67, a pious Cat killed
a hare and a bird.