The Bodhisatta was once a quail. There was a fowler who enticed quails by imitating their cry and then throwing a net over them. The Bodhisatta suggested that when the fowler did this, they should all fly away with the net. This they did, and, day after day, the fowler returned empty handed till his wife grew angry. One day, two of the quails started quarrelling, and the Bodhisatta, hearing their wrangling, decided to go elsewhere with his following. When the fowler came again and spread his net, the two quails started quarrelling, and he was able to capture them.

This was one of the, stories related at the time of the quarrel (Cumbatakalaha) between the Sākyans and the Koliyans (J.i.208 10). See also the introductory story of the Kunāla Jātaka. Elsewhere the story is called the Vattaka Jātaka. E.g., J.v.414.


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