The Cat Who Guarded The Precepts

A Cat having seen that a sun-dried fish was in a bag of rice, at the time when he was going to it to eat it, a rosary [hanging there] fell on his neck.

After it had fallen, as he was going away with it on his neck a Jungle-hen met him, and ran off. The Cat then says, "I am guarding (that is, keeping) the Precepts (of Buddha, sil rakinawa). Tummal Kitti, come here and go with me."

While he was taking her with him they met with a Ground Cuckoo. He called this one: "'Bug-bug'-singing Kaccale, I am guarding the Precepts. Come here and go with me."

As they were going they met with a Hare. He called him also: "Tokka the Devil-dancer, come here and go with me. I am guarding the Precepts."

Having gone to a rock cave [as a pansala or monk's residence], while they were there the Cat said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, Tummal Kitti having scratched [the ground] in the pansala has defiled it. I must kill this one," he said.

When the Hare said, "It is good," he killed her.

After the Cat had said, "It is not a fault to eat a dead one, is it?" when the Hare replied, "No, there is not any fault in it," he ate her.

Afterwards the Cat said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, this 'Bug-bug'-singing Kaccale has been drinking arrack (palm spirit) until his eyes have become red." When he said, "I must kill this one," he killed it. Then saying, "There is no fault in eating a dead one," he ate it.

Then he said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, thou having dropped dung in the pansala art defiling it." When he said, "I must kill thee," the Hare said, "Yes, killing me is virtuous and proper. I must first perform a great gallop and a little gallop, two gallops. After that there will be no fault if you kill me," he said.

"Yes, perform them," the Cat said.

Then the Hare having run round [the cave], "There! The small gallop," he said. Again having gone running round, and [then] having jumped over the Cat's head, while he was running away he said, "There! The great gallop," and ran off.