CHAPTER XV
SCIENCE
The education of Parvati had begun, to her great displeasure--and tomine. For long hours she had to listen to the Brahmans, instead ofplaying with me, or going to harangue the happy little vagabonds ofthe city. Music, dancing, poetry, writing--it was all terrible! and Icould hear my beloved weeping--screaming--stamping, in the midst of herrespectful but stern teachers.
I stood at the door of the schoolroom, helpless, with drooping head,replying with groans to the furious outcries of the rebellious pupil.
Sometimes she escaped, all in tears, and ran towards me, encircling mytrunk with her little arms, and crying:
"Take me away! Let us run to the forest, away from the wicked Brahmans!"
But the head Brahman in his white robe would appear, and hiding akindly smile under an outward appearance of severity, take the naughtygirl away from me....
At last she obtained permission to learn her lessons in the baskethanging from my neck, while I walked slowly along under the trees ofthe park.
I remember especially a Fable which gave us a great deal of trouble tolearn, the birds and the butterflies so distracted our attention duringthose hours of Study! But we succeeded at last, and if I could onlyhave spoken I could have prompted the little Princess many a time whenshe made mistakes in her recitations.
It was a very pretty Fable and was intended to teach us that one cannotbe too cautious in this life. And, as I still remember it, I will givemyself the pleasure of writing it down from beginning to end, withoutthe least fear of making any mistake. It was called:
_The Crane and the Crawfish_
In a beautiful forest there was a great Pool, inhabited by all kindsof fish; on its banks a Crane had her dwelling. This Crane was old,and could no longer catch the Fish to feed on them. Therefore, witha throat contracted by hunger, she stood on the edge of the Pool andwept; she moistened the ground with her tears, which glistened likeinnumerable pearls.
Standing on one slender leg which looked like the stalk of a flower,and with her neck curved downwards, the sly Crane deceived the sillyFish, who took her for a Lotus.
Now, a Crawfish, accompanied by many others of the Water-people,approached, and pitying the distress of the Crane, inquiredrespectfully:
"Friend, why is it that you are not, as usual, seeking your dinner, andwhy do you utter these tearful sighs?"
"My child," said the Crane, "what you have observed is true. I do,indeed, make my dinner ordinarily of fish, but behold! I have renouncedall appetite for food, and intend to let myself die of starvation; sothat no matter how near they come to me I shall never eat fish again!"
When the Crawfish heard this she said:
"Friend, what is the reason for this renunciation of all appetite?"
"My child," said the Crane, "I was born and brought up on the bordersof this Pool. I have learned that a terrible calamity threatens it; anabsence of rain for twelve years is about to occur."
"How did you learn this?" asked the Crawfish.
"An eminent Astrologer informed me," replied the Crane. "Alas! thisPool is shallow, it holds but little water, and will soon be empty;and when it is dry all those with whom I grew up and played, willperish for lack of water. I have not the courage to witness such acatastrophe. That is why I am fasting thus, until death takes place;and I weep to think that not one of you will escape!"
When the Crawfish heard this she repeated to the other inhabitantsthe words of the Crane; and all the Fishes, the Tortoises, and otherWater-people felt their hearts quake with fear and anguish.
They all gathered around the Crane and cried:
"Friend, is there no way of saving our lives?"
"There is," said the Crane, "not far from here, a fine Lake fullof deep water, and embellished with quantities of lotus. Even ifPardjania, the God of rain, should refuse to permit showers to fall fortwenty years, that Lake would not become exhausted. If, therefore, anyof you care to mount up on my back, I will carry you to that Lake."
Now the Fishes had confidence in these words, and assembled from allsides, calling out:
"Take me!... Take me!... Me first! Me first!"...
The wicked Crane made them climb one after another onto her back, thenshe flew towards a great Rock situated a short distance off, and threwthem all down on it--and devoured them at her ease.
"Friend," said the Crawfish, "it was with me that you had your firstfriendly conversation--why do you leave me behind, and take theothers? Will you not save my life along with the rest?"
When the wicked Crane heard this, she thought to herself, "I am tiredof eating fish, so to-day I will take this crawfish for a change!"
So she allowed the Crawfish to mount on her back, and began the journeyto the Rock of sacrifice.
The Crawfish saw from a distance a great pile of bones on the Rock. Sherecognized them as the remains of the Fishes, and asked the Crane:
"Friend, how much further is this Lake? Are you not fatigued by myweight?"
"Crawfish," replied the Crane, "what makes you think that there isanother Lake? I invented it, in order to preserve my life. Now then,call upon your tutelar Divinity--for I am going to throw you down onthe Rock, and eat you!"
But no sooner had she finished speaking than her neck, which was aswhite and as tender as a lotus stem, was seized and pinched by theclaws of the Crawfish--and her life was ended.
The Crawfish then bit off the neck of the Crane, and quietly returnedto the Pool.
"Oh, Crawfish! Why have you come back?" asked all the Water-people onseeing her. "Has anything happened? And where is the Crane? Why has notshe returned? We are disappointed at not seeing her!"
When they had spoken thus the Crawfish laughed, and said:
"Fools that you are! The deceitful Crane has betrayed all the Fish, andhas thrown them all onto a Rock not far from here, and eaten them. Fatedecreed that my life was to be spared, and I discovered her treachery,and cut her throat. You need have no further anxiety; we Water-peoplewill now be able to live happily hereafter...."
Now, I think that was a very nice Fable.