'
'But surely,' argued Damanaka, 'servants are bound to watch the
movements of their masters!'
'Let the prime minister do it, then,' answered Karataka; 'it is his
business to overlook things, and subordinates shouldn't interfere in the
department of their chief. You might get ass's thanks for it--
'The Ass that hee-hawed, when the dog should do it,
For his lord's welfare, like an ass did rue it.'
Damanaka asked how that happened, and Karataka related:--
THE STORY OF THE WASHERMAN'S JACKASS
"There was a certain Washerman at Benares, whose name was Carpurapataka,
and he had an Ass and a Dog in his courtyard; the first tethered, and
the last roaming loose. Once on a time, when he had been spending his
morning in the society of his wife, whom he had just married, and had
fallen to sleep in her arms, a robber entered the house, and began to
carry off his goods. The Ass observed the occupation of the thief, and
was much concerned.
'Good Dog,' said he, 'this is thy matter: why dost thou not bark aloud,
and rouse the master?'
'Gossip Ass,' replied the Dog, 'leave me alone to guard the premises.
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