The Jackal at the Ram-Fight
Adapted from The Panchatantra, Book 1, translated by Arthur W. Ryder
In a certain region, there lived a jackal named Fierce-Howl. One day, driven by extreme hunger, he wandered into a nearby town in search of food. As he entered the outskirts, a pack of dogs spotted him. With their sharp teeth bared and barking furiously, they surrounded him and began to attack.
Fierce-Howl was badly bitten in the pursuit and barely escaped with his life. Bleeding and in pain, he fled toward the forest, thinking, “This is a terrible disaster! What should I do now? How can I possibly survive this ordeal?”
As he limped along, he came across a dyer’s workshop at the edge of town. In his desperation to escape the dogs, he leaped into a large indigo vat that was full of blue dye. When he emerged and continued his flight into the forest, he was completely dyed blue from head to tail.
The forest animals—lions, tigers, panthers, wolves, and all others—saw this strange blue creature and were filled with terror. They had never seen such a being before. Even the lions, kings of the forest, fled in different directions, thinking, “Who knows what powers this extraordinary creature might possess?”
Fierce-Howl noticed the effect his appearance had on the other animals. He realized that his unusual blue color gave him a unique opportunity. Standing on his hind legs, he called out to the frightened animals, “Why do you flee in terror? There is no need for fear. I have been sent by the creator himself as the ruler of the forest. From this day forward, I shall be your king, and you shall live under my protection.”
The animals, impressed by his extraordinary appearance and confident manner, gathered around him and bowed respectfully. “We await your commands, O mighty one,” they said. “Tell us what we must do to serve you.”
Fierce-Howl, now seeing his deception succeed, appointed the lion as his prime minister, the tiger as his chamberlain, and the wolf as his doorkeeper. But to all jackals, his own kind, he gave a swift kick and banished them from his court, fearing they might recognize him for what he truly was.
Having established his rule, Fierce-Howl enjoyed a life of luxury. The lions and other powerful animals hunted and brought their prey to him first. Only after he had taken his choice portion did they eat what remained.
One evening, as Fierce-Howl sat on his royal seat surrounded by various animals paying him homage, he heard a pack of jackals howling in the distance. Being a jackal himself, he could not resist the natural instinct to join in their howling. He lifted his snout and let out a long, loud howl.
When the lions and other animals heard this sound, they immediately recognized it as the cry of a jackal. They looked at each other in shock and dismay, realizing they had been deceived. The lion said, “This creature is nothing but a jackal! He has tricked us all. Let us kill him at once!”
Fierce-Howl, seeing the anger in their eyes, tried to flee, but it was too late. The animals, furious at being deceived, fell upon him and tore him to pieces.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, two rams were engaged in a fierce battle. A jackal named Cruncher happened to be passing by and stopped to watch the fight with great interest. As the rams charged at each other repeatedly, Cruncher’s mouth watered at the thought of feasting on whichever ram might be killed or severely injured in the conflict.
“One of them is sure to die from these powerful collisions,” thought Cruncher. “Then I shall enjoy a feast without having to hunt.”
In his greed and impatience, Cruncher moved closer and closer to the fighting rams, hoping to be the first to reach the fallen victim. He positioned himself directly between the two rams just as they were about to charge at each other again.
The rams, focused entirely on their battle, did not notice the jackal. They charged forward with all their might, and instead of striking each other, they crushed Cruncher between their hard heads. The jackal died instantly, his skull shattered by the impact.
This tale teaches that greed and deception lead to downfall. Those who pretend to be what they are not will eventually be discovered, and those who rush into danger out of greed often meet a swift end. It is better to be honest about who you are and patient in your actions than to risk everything for momentary gain.
