The Loss Of Friends

"That is why, I said," Cheek told Victor, "that one should not make friends with fools, especially fools like the monkey who killed the king. You are no different from the monkey, for because of you our king is now in grave danger.

"Where people of your sort, who stir up enmity between friends and whose wisdom lies in laying tricky traps, have the last word, everything ends in disaster. The saintly, on the other hand, however much their need, avoid evil actions, and choose the path that brings no shame to name or fame. That is why it said: wrong is wrong. The wise man will never try to justify a wrong as right, just as people avoid drinking gutter water, no matter how thirsty they are. Always take the right path and shun the wrong path, even if the

the right path leads you to death."

Victor, to whom sermons advocating such high morals were like poison, silently moved away.

Around the same time, Rusty, the lion king, and Lively, the merchant's abandoned bull, renewed their battle, their minds blinded by rage. The battle, this time, did not last long, for the lion, summoning all his enormous strength, and using his pluck and cunning, killed Lively.

After Lively had fallen, his neck broken, his body full of injuries, the lion's anger turned to pity and finally to remorse. Memories of their past affection flooded his mind. A torrent of tears swept down his face, as he looked at his blood-stained paws.

"What have I done, what have I done!" he cried, in repentance. "You were almost my second life, a part of me. By killing you I have only hurt myself. For, as the proverb says: when bits of royal land are lost, they can be won back easily, but the loss of a true and understanding friend, is a deadly pain. He or she can never be replaced."

Victor, the ill-mannered jackal, observing that his master was overtaken by sorrow, slowly crept next to him.

"Why this weakness, my lord? You have only slain a rival, For, as the saying goes: if we desire to survive and prosper, we should not leave alive father, brother, son or bosom-friend, should they become a threat to us. Let go of those who do not know their limits, whether they be a wife or a friend. There is nothing wrong in doing anything in search of honest joy. Learn from anyone who is wise, even if he is a mere boy. Remember, however, that the morality of the kings is not the same as that of ordinary men, for what is vice in other men, is virtue for a king. A ruler's policy is

fickle like a flirt. It now hoards money, now throws it about carelessly. It is rough and flattering by turns, kind and cruel too. Exacting much and giving much, it is at once false and true."

Having justified his action with these arguments, Victor left the lion to drown in his sorrows alone. Cheek then drew near the king and sat beside him.

"Pardon me, Sir," he addressed the lion, "But let me tell you that you seem to know nothing of the business of administration since inciting enmity means the destruction of those who had enjoyed mutual friendship. It is not good for an adviser to provoke his master to fight his own loyal servant and thus expose him to great danger. This is especially so when other sources of ambition like conciliation, bribery or intrigue are available.

Is it not said that when the Gods of wealth, war, water, and fire engaged themselves in a war, they all lost, for victory is neither in the hands of Gods nor men? Wisdom lies in peace, only the fools fight. The wise discover through books what is right and sensible, and avoid violence. An adviser should, under no circumstance, goad his master to fight. Where the rulers are surrounded by pure, kind and modest followers, victory is sure, enemies are routed and honour is secure. Therefore, speak the truth, even if it is harsh. Flattery, on the other hand, is one's true enemy. Where the advisers, asked or unasked, tell lies that are nice to hear, the ruler's mind goes astray and his glory and honour die. "The ruler," continued Cheek, "should consult several advisers before taking a decision, and based on what he has heard, decide whether a said course would result in a loss or profit to him. It happens that even an established fact can, sometimes, be wrong. As the proverb says:

The firefly looks like fire,

the sky appears flat

Yet the sky and the fly

are neither this nor that

The false seems true

and the truth seems false

But appearances deceive,

so think it through

"A ruler should not, therefore, rely on an adviser who lacks administrative sense. For rascals, for their own personal benefit, show the master things in a false light and speak with great powers of persuasion. That is why it said that a ruler should first take fit and friendly advice, and hear it more than once. Then think thoroughly about it from first to last. Finally,

act, and harvest fame and fortune, avoiding the absurd.

"Therefore, master, let no ruler allow his mind to be thrown aside by others' advice. He should always be mindful of differences between men. Let him fully consider the final issue, hear the views of various advisers, whether favourable or otherwise, then decide on the final outcome and the time of action. Let him be the ruler, a wise ruler, ever aware of the many-sided complexities of his duty," said Cheek, in conclusion, before moving away, slowly.

Alone, the lion once again looked at the mangled remains of his friend, Lively, the bull. Tears rained down his face, as he thought of all that the bull had taught him, of the brief but enlightening period that he spent in his company. He could no longer bear to remain there, watching the unmoving body of his dear friend. He rose, turned and began to walk, or rather wobble, towards his den. Yes, Cheek was right. They had turned foes, not due to any quarrel between them, but entirely due to a tragic misunderstanding engineered by a self-serving fellow. How foolish of him to have acted without enquiring with his dead friend or other advisers? Such a course only led to the loss of friends.