PT1-08-LouseDiesBefriendingBedbug

Panchatantra Stories

பஞ்சதந்திரம் pañca-tantiram , n. pañcan +. The Tamil version of Pañca-tantra consisting of five books, viz., mittira-pētam1, cukirl- lāpam2, canti-vikkirakam3, artta-nācam4, acampirēṭciya-kārittuvam5; (=

 மித்திரபேதம்1, சுகிர்ல்லாபம்2, சந்திவிக்கிரகம்3, அர்த்தநாசம்4, அசம்பிரேட்சியகாரித்துவம்5 ) என ஐம்பகுதியுடையதாய்த் தமிழில் மொழிபெயர்க் கப்பட்ட நூல்.

1. மித்திரபேதம் = mittira-pētam = Sowing discord among friends.

2. சுகிர்ல்லாபம் = cukir-l-lāpam = the acquisition of friends.

3. சந்திவிக்கிரகம் canti-vikkirakam = Associating with a foe with a view to ruin him.

4. அர்த்தநாசம் artta-nācam = Loss of wealth.

5. அசம்பிரேட்சியகாரித்துவம் a-campirēṭciya-kārittuvam , n. a-sam-prēkṣya-kāri-tva. Action without forethought.

By Veeraswamy Krishnaraj

A rag louse lived happily in a king's bed, and when the king and the queen slept, the louse bit them and drank their blood. Like the devil spitting fire came a bedbug, which approached the louse and said it wants to be friends with it.            

  The rag louse: No, thanks. You will bite the king with your sharp teeth before the king goes to sleep. That will be the end of my life. I protest.            

  The bedbug: I assure you I will do no such rash act. Trust me. I will listen to you and follow your instructions all the time. I beg you, indulge me please!           

  The rag louse: Sounds good. You may stay here. Do not bite the king like a buggy brute. When the king and the queen are in a deep sleep, bite them tenderly, drink their blood, and appease your hunger. The louse gave guidance to the bedbug and allowed it to befriend it in the king's bed.            

  Having begged the rag louse and promising to behave, it did not take too long for the bedbug to show his rash behavior. As soon as the king and queen got into the bed, the fierce bedbug bit the awake king even before he put his royal head on the soft pillow.                                                         

  The king: Something bit me. As soon as the king said that, the attendants came running into the bedroom.            

  Before they came, the bedbug went into hiding in a little-known corner of the royal bed. Not knowing the errant behavior of the bedbug and the arrival of the attendants, the louse stood out like a sore loser on the king's bed. Immediately, the attendants crushed and killed the louse, saying, 'Are you not the culprit who did the wicked deed to the king?' The louse, having accepted unknowingly of the friendship of the bedbug, died a crushing painful death.