PT1-14-TreeAsWitness
Panchatantra Stories
பஞ்சதந்திரம் pañca-tantiram , n. pañcan +. The Tamil version of Pañca-tantra consisting of five books, viz., mittira-pētam, cukirl- lāpam, canti-vikkirakam, artta-nācam, acampirēṭciya-kārittuvam; மித்திரபேதம், சுகிர்ல்லாபம், சந்திவிக்கிரகம், அர்த்தநாசம், அசம்பிரேட்சியகாரித்து வம் 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.

 Inspiration: N.Natchiyappan
1. Two youths of Vaishya caste lived in a town, their names being 1. Good sense 2. Bad sense. They went out of town to accumulate wealth. There, Goodsense earned a thousand gold coins, while the Badsense did not get any

2. Mr. Goodsense, being virtuous and generous, gave Mr. Badsense 500 gold coins and assured him not to worry.

3. Mr. Badsense accepted the gold coins and, saying taking these coins back home will cause trouble, suggested burying the treasure near the tree trunk, leaving a marker, and going back to his hometown.

4. Mr. Goodsense thought it made sense and accepted the suggestion. They dug a hole at the bottom of the tree, buried the treasure, left a marker, and headed home.

5. Mr. Badsense came back that night to the treasure, dug up a thousand coins, and left.

6. A few days later, the two friends came to the tree and found no coins. Mr. Badsense pointed his accusatory finger to his friend and said, ̎My friend, how could you do this deceptive act to me.̎

7. Mr. Goodsense retorted,"You took the coins and cheated me.''

8. They became contestants and took the matter to court. The town judge heard them present their cases and asked for any corroborating witness. Mr. Good Sense said there were no witnesses other than them.

9. Mr. Bad Sense said to the judge, ̎The tree is the witness.̎

10. The judge told them to return the next day so he will ask the tree as the witness.

11. Mr. Badsense came home and asked his father to hide in the tree hole and talk as the witness.

12. His father advised him to give up the lie because it could land them in trouble. ‘This will end up like the snake which stole the crane’s egg.’ Mr. Badsense did not heed. He pulled his father and hid him in the tree hole.

13. The dawn came. The judge, his men, and the two parties in the case, went to the tree and ordered the tree to bear witness.

14. The tree spoke, ̎Mr. Goodsense took the coins. ̎ What an astonishment, The tree spoke as a witness would. ̎

15. Mr. Goodsense sensing chicanery climbed up the tree and saw a man in the tree hole

16. Mr. Goodsense pulled him out of the tree hole and handed him over to the judge.

17. The judge took Mr. Badsense, his father, and Mr. Good Sense to the king and narrated what happened.

18. The king commanded Mr. Badsense to hand over a thousand coins to Mr. Goodsense and bid his minions to torture and kill Mr. Badsense. For bearing false witness against Mr. Goodsense, the king put the father in jail.

19. They who plot to ruin others will ruin themselves and perish. Those who bear false witness for the  evildoers suffer.