21. The Panther and the Crane
21. THE PANTHER AND THE CRANE
Panther and Crane laid a wager. Panther said to Crane, "Let us see who can throw the farthest." "All right," Crane answered. They said, "Let us throw a hammer across a stream." Panther threw first, and he got it across, but when Crane stood ready to throw, he thought, "I can't get it across." The two had agreed that whichever did not succeed in getting the hammer across should be killed.
[paragraph continues] "If I do not get it across, he will kill me," thought Crane, and, as he stood there, he whistled. "Why are you whistling?" said Panther. "My elder brother lives way up there where the hammer is going to fall. I am whistling because when I throw this hammer I want him to see it. He is a blacksmith and I think it will be useful to him. That is why I am making a noise." "If that is so, don't throw it. I have some use for it myself. I can't spare it. Let us try something different. Let us see who can eat most of equal quantities of food." They did so. But the Crane had a bag hung about his person and he sat eating a little and putting more into the bag. Panther, however, did not find it out and ate all, and when all was devoured they brought more in. After they had eaten for a while longer Panther got more than enough and fell down dead. So Crane beat Panther.