Can you change your stripes? Jackal Parable #1

From the Indian Panchatantra:

"Once a Jackal Always a Jackal"
In a certain forest there lived a jackal. One time, it so happened that the jackal ventured into a village nearby becaue he could not find any food in the jungle. Spotting the jackal, a pack of dogs in the village began to bark and chase it. Harassed by the dogs, the jackal took refuge in the first doorway he could see. This wa a dyers house and a tub full of indigo soloution was sitting right ahead. In the darkness, the hungry and frightened jackal fell into the tub and when he came out his body had already turned blue.
When the jackal found its way back into the forrest, the rest of the wild beasts were afraid of this strange creature. The jackal then addressed them and aks them not to be afraid. He said, "when God realized that there was nobody to give protection to the animals of this jungle, he entrusted me to look after you all and dispatche me to this forest. Now all of you must obey me and do as I say." All the animals agreed. Thus, the jackal became king of the jungle; he made the lion his Cheif of State, and ask the fox to guard the palace. However, he banished all the jackals out of his kingdom.
One day when the jackal was sitting on his throne, he heard the howling of a pack of jackals. Hearing this sound his eyes welled up with tears of joy and he too began to howl loudly like the other jackals. As soon as the other animals witnessed this, they realized the kin was only a jackal. Amoung themselves they decied that the jackal had tricked them and must be punished. The jackal tried to escape but the animals such as the elephant, the lion and the cheetah tore the jakcal into peices and killed him on the spot.

The indian parable of "a leopard cannot change his stripes"

Jackal Parable #2

The Cock and the Jackal - Stories by Amrita Vidyalayam Students
Amrita Vidyalayam The Cock and the Jackal

The Cock and the Jackal


A cock stood on the branch of a tall tree. It was in a happy mood. It crowed enthusiastically over and over again. A hungry jackal heard the crowing of the cock. The jackal was very hungry; he wanted to make a meal of the cock. He made a clever plan to get the cock down from the branch. He spoke to the cock.


He greeted the cock. ``Salutations to you dear brother! Have you heard the news? The birds and animals have made an agreement of peace and friendship. If you come down. I shall explain to you the details of the agreement.


The cock was clever. He saw the trick of the jackal. He pretended to see something at a distance. He straightened hes neck, raised hes head and looked steadily in one direction.


"What do you see there?'' asked the jackal. The cock replied, ``Dear friend, hounds are coming towards this place. Let all of us meet and talk.''


The jackal became nervous on hearing that hounds were coming. He said, `Dear friend, I take leave of you now.'' The cock shouted, `Don't go away friend. Let us talk about the agreement of peace and friendship.


The jackal remarked, "The hounds are not aware of the agreement of peace and friendship. What wil happen to me? Let me go''. So saying the jackal ran away.


The Illustrated Jataka & Other Stories of the Buddha

The lesson? Jackals should never trust cock. It always gets him in trouble.

Jackal Parable #3

014 - Lion and Jackal

Introduction | Glossary | Bibliography



Once there lived a mighty lion in a cave of the Himalayas. One day, after killing and eating a buffalo, when he was on his way back to his cave, he found a jackal prostrating before him. The jackal, in fact, wanted to enjoy the left overs of the lion.

The lion in the forest

He asked him, “why do you lie like this, Jackal”.

The jackal said, “Sir! I would like to be your servant”. The lion accepted his proposal and treated him affectionately.

Since that day the lion offered him the left-overs of the animals, who he killed. Being fed on those the emaciated jackal soon bulged; and so did his pride. Further, he fostered the false idea of having equal power like that of the lion. So, one day, he said to the lion, “O lion! so far I am fed on your left-overs; but today, I shall offer you my left over as I shall kill and eat an elephant”.

The lion advised him to refrain from any such act, as he did not belong to the species of lion-like animal to kill a strong elephant.

The haughty and foolish jackal did not listen to the lion. Feigning like a lion he moved out of the cave and uttered the cry of a jackal thrice, as if it was the cry of a mighty lion. He then looked for an elephant; and saw one at the base of the mountain. He jumped at the large animal from the top of the mountain. But instead of falling on elephant’s back he fell on his feet. The elephant without paying much notice to the existence of the jackal lifted his fore-leg and placed it on his head and mashed his skull. Thus the foolish jackal was killed instantly.

The lion is walking away after eating his full and leaving the carcass for the jackal

The lion witnessed the entire show from the top of the precipice and said,

A reckless and haughty being

Is thus bound to meet his doom

[Jackal is identified with Devadatta; and the lion with the Bodhisatta].

See Virochana Jataka Jataka Pali No. 143.

"Am I bound to meet my doom? No way. I'm too damn strong. Too strong for you. Any of you."