Lioness married to a jackal

[Klaus Karttunen]

Dear Colleagues,
my notes contain following cases involving sexual or family relations 
between lions and jackals (much more common is the idea of the jackal 
as a courtier or minister of king lion):

Pancatantra of Purnabhadra 4, 4 The jackal, though lion's foster-son, 
reveals his true nature of a coward when his brothers, the lion cubs, 
will attack an elephant.

Jataka 157 (Gunajataka) A jackal rescues the lion and becomes his 
friend and they live together with their families, but the lioness, not 
understanding the situation, is jealous of the she-jackal.

Jataka 188 (Sihakottajataka) A lion (Bodhisattva) had a cub by a 
she-jackal. The cub had the appearance of a lion, but his mother's 
voice. Only keeping silent he could live with other lions.

So it is the lion, not the lioness, who has relations with jackals (cf. 
anuloma/pratiloma).

Regards
Klaus


Klaus Karttunen, Ph.D.
Research Fellow,
  Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
  P.O. Box 4
  FIN-00014  University of Helsinki
  Finland

Tel +358-(0)9-191 23500
  Fax +358-(0)9-191 24509
  Email Klaus.Karttunen at helsinki.fi

also
Docent of Indology and Classical Ethnography
Institute of Asian and African Studies
PL 59 (Unioninkatu 38 B), 00014 University of Helsinki, FINLAND