He had many sons whom he
loved, and was kind unto all creatures. He lived fearlessly in the
dominions of a king that was guided by virtue. There was a crow that
lived on the refuse of the dishes set before those well-behaved young
children of the Vaishya. Those Vaishya children always gave the crow meat
and curds, and milk, and sugared milk with rice, and honey, and butter.
Thus fed with the refuse of their dishes by the young children of that
Vaishya, the crow became arrogant and came to disregard all birds that
were equal to him or even superior. It chanced that once certain swans of
cheerful hearts, of great speed and capable of going everywhere at will
and equal unto Garuda himself in range and speed of flight, came to that
side of the ocean. The Vaishya boys, beholding those swans, addressed the
crow and said, 'O ranger of the skies, thou art superior to all winged
creatures.' Deceived by those children of little understanding, that
oviparous creature from folly and pride, regarded their words to be true.
Proud of the refuse of the children's dishes upon which he fed, the crow
then, alighting in the midst of those swans capable of traversing great
distances, desired to enquire as to who amongst them was their leader.
The foolish crow at last challenged him amongst those birds of tireless
wings whom he regarded their leader, saying, 'Let us compete in flight.'
Hearing those words of the raving crow, the swans that had assembled
there, those foremost of birds endued with great strength, began to
laugh.
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