Not far from a certain village settlement a hawk lived on the south shore of a lake. He courted a female hawk on the western shore, and, at her suggestion, made friends with an osprey on the west side, a lion on the north and a tortoise on an island in the lake. Later, the hawks had two sons, who lived on the island. One day, some men, wandering about in search of food, lay down under the tree where the hawks lived and kindled a fire to keep away the insects. The smoke disturbed the young ones and they set up a cry. The men, hearing this, wished to get the birds for their food. But the she hawk, perceiving the danger, sent her husband to summon their friends. First came the osprey who brought water in his wings and quenched the fire every time it was lighted; when he was tired, the tortoise sent his son with mud from the lake, which he put on the fire. The men caught the tortoise and tied it with creepers, but he plunged into the water, dragging the men with him. Then the lion appeared, and at his first roar the men fled, and the friends rejoiced over the firmness of their friendship.
The story was told in reference to Mittagandhaka (q.v.) and his wife. They were the hawks of the story. Rāhula was the young tortoise and Moggallāna the father tortoise. Sāriputta was the osprey and the Bodhisatta the lion. J.iv.288-97.