Story 184 - The Lizard and the Iguana

AT a certain time a small Lizard^[1] and an Iguana^[2] became friends it is said. In this state they remained for much time. During the time while they were thus, these two quarrelled; having quarrelled, both struck each other with their tails. When they were striking each other the small Lizard lost. The Lizard, having sprung aside, was panting and panting. There was an ant-hill there; the Iguana crept into the ant-hill.

A Vaedda from a distant place when walking about for hunting, not meeting with game is coming away. While he is coming, this panting Lizard asked,

“Friend, where are you going ?”

Then the Vaedda said,

“Friend, I went hunting, and did not meet with game.”

After that, the Lizard says,

“Friend, an Iguana having dropped into this ant-hill is staying in it. Break it open, and take it.”

Then the Vaedda, having gone to his village and brought a digging hoe, goes breaking and breaking open the ant-hill. Thereupon the Iguana also, digging and digging, goes on in front [of him]. The Vaedda, a half-day having passed [in this way], took much trouble over this.

When he had been digging for a great distance he did not meet with the Iguana. Thereupon, anger on account of [getting] no game, and anger on account of the trouble [he had taken uselessly] having seized the Vaedda, and having become angry also at the Lizard, he struck the Lizard with the digging hoe that was in the hand of the Vaedda. The Lizard rolled over and died.

Owing to the injustice through which he went to kill his friend, he himself died.

North-western Province.

 

Note:

In the Jataka story No. 141 (vol. i, p. 303), a chameleon induced an iguana-trapper to kill a number of iguanas by digging out their burrows because he found his friendship with one of them troublesome.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Katussa.

[2]:

The Monitor Lizard (Varanus dracaena).