[344] Once upon a time, a carpenter, who dwelt in a village hard by the city gate of Benares, went into the forest to cut wood. He found a young Boar fallen into a pit, which he brought home and reared, naming him Carpenter's Boar. The Boar became his servant: trees he turned over with his snout, and brought to him: he hitched the measuring-line around his tusk and pulled it along, fetched and carried adze, chisel, and mallet in his teeth.

When he grew up, he was a monstrous burly beast. The carpenter, who loved him as his own son, and feared lest some one might do him a mischief there, let him go free in the forest. The Boar thought, "I cannot live alone by myself in this forest: what if I search out my kindred, and live in their midst?" So he sought all through that multitude of trees for Boars, until seeing a herd of them, he was glad, and recited three stanzas:--

"I wandered, searching far and wide the woods and hills around:
I wandered, searching for my kin: and lo, my kin are found!

"Here are abundant roots and fruits, with plenteous store of food;
What lovely hills and pleasant rills! to dwell here will be good.

"Here will I dwell with all my kin, not anxious, at my ease,
Having no trouble, fearing nought from any enemies ."

The Boars on hearing this verse responded with the fourth stanza:--

"A foe is here! some otherwhere take refuge, go thy ways:
Ever the choicest of the herd, O Carpenter , he slays!"

"Who is that foe? Come tell me true, my kindred, so well met,
Who is't destroys you? though he has not quite destroyed you yet."

[345] "A king of beasts! striped up and down he is, with teeth to bite:
Ever the choicest of the herd he slays--a beast of might!"

"And have our bodies lost their strength? have we no tusks to show?
We shall o'ercome him if we work together: only so."

"Sweet words to hear, O Carpenter, of which my heart is fain:
Let no Boar flee! or he shall be after the battle slain!"