STORY NO. 67. ANOTHER'S DUTY IS DANGEROUS
Karpurapataka was a washer-man in the holy city of Varanasi(Benares). One night, he
spent the major part of the time in love prattle with his newly-married young wife and slept soundly afterwards, being thoroughly exhausted. In his courtyard were tied his donkey and his dog who was sitting on its haunches watching. A thief entered the court- yard. The ass said to the dog, 'Friend, why don't you bark aloud and rouse our master as you are bound by your duty to do?' The dog replied, 'Don't meddle with my work or tell me what my duty is. You know that I used to guard his house faithfully day and night, since he has been happy and free from care of a long time, he does not realize my value to him and does not give me enough to eat. Unless there is some
danger, masters care but little for their servants. Let the thief steal some articles today. From tomorrow our master will feed me better.'
The donkey replied, 'Hear me, you wretch. What servant is he and what friend is he who thinks of his reward at a time when his duty is action?' The dog replied, 'What master is he who starves his servants and talks merely sweet words to them in times of need ?' The donkey said in a rage, 'O, wicked wretch, you are surely a debased villain
since you neglect our master's interests at this critical time. Well, I must then do what I can and wake up our master. One should warm one's back in the sun, one's front before the fire, one should serve a master with all his heart, and strive for the next world with a pure soul/ Saying this, the donkey brayed aloud. The thief ran away, and the washer-man, coming out and finding nobody, took a big stick and belabored the donkey mercilessly, angry at his sleep having been unnecessarily disturbed.
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