Four royal sons were questioning what specialty they should master. They said to one antoerh, “let us search the earth and learn a special science.” So they decided, and after they had agreed on a place where they would meet again, the four brothers started off, each in a different direction. Time went by, and the brothers met again at an appointed meeting place, and they asked one another what they had learned. “I have mastered a sciences,” said the first, “which makes it possible for me, if I have nothing but a pieces of bone of some creature, to create straightaway the flesh that goes with it.” “I,” said the second, “know how to grow that creatures’ skin and hair if there is flesh on its bones.” The third said, “I am able to create its limbs if I have the flesh, the skin and the hair.” “And I,” concluded the fourth, “know how to give life to that creature if its form is complete with limbs.”


Thereupon the four brothers went into the jungle to find a piece of bone so that they could demonstrate their specialties. As fate would have it, the bone they found was a lion’s, but they did not know that and picked up the bone. One added flesh to the bone, the second grew hid and hair, the third completed it with matching limbs, and the fourth gave the lion life. Shaking its heavy mane, the ferocious beast arose with its menacing mouth, sharp teeth, and merciless claws and jumped on his creators. He killed them all and vanished contentedly into the jungle.

Tales of Ancient India