The hare
said:"In wells, lakes and temples, there is no such thing as permanent living -place
for anyone. Once a person leaves, any one else can occupy his place. If you don't believe
me you may ask anyone else."The sparrow suggested, "Let us go to a wise man
and ask him if it is so." The hare agreed.
A cat was listening to their talk all the time. So, it put on the dress of a pious
person. It wore the sacred ash, and beads on its body, and sat on a grass mat across their
path. When it saw them coming it, closed its eyes, and started telling the beads.
The hare and the sparrow saw the pious cat.
Said the hare, "Why shouldn't we ask this cat? He seems to be a learned
person."
The sparrow cautioned, "Is he not our common enemy"