Quoth the tortoise，'If the matter be as thou sayest and the case as thou describest，I will not leave thee nor cease to stand before thee，that I may do thy need and fulfil thy service；for it is said that there is no sorer desolation than that of him who is an exile，cut off from friends and home；and it is also said that no calamity equalleth that of severance from the good；but the best solace for men of understanding is to seek companionship in strangerhood and be patient under sorrows and adversity.
Wherefore I hope that thou wilt approve of my company，for I will be to thee a servant and a helper.'Now when the water fowl heard the tortoise's words he answered，'Verily，thou art right in what thou sayest for，by my life，I have found grief and pain in separation，what while I have been parted from my place and sundered from my brethren and friends；seeing that in severance is an admonition to him who will be admonished and matter of thought for him who will take thought. If the generous youth find not a companion to console him，weal is forever cut off from him and ill is eternally established with him；and there is nothing for the sage but to solace himself in every event with brethren and be constant in patience and endurance：indeed these two are praiseworthy qualities，and both uphold one under calamities and vicissitudes of the world and ward off startling sorrows and harrowing cares，come what will.'Rejoined the tortoise，'Beware of sorrow，for it will spoil thy life and waste thy manliness.'
And the two gave not over conversing till the bird said，'Never shall I cease fearing the shifts of time and vicissitudes of events.'When the tortoise heard this，he came up to him and，kissing him between the eyes，said to him，'Never may the company of the birds cease to be blest in thee and through thee，and find wisdom in thy good counsel！ How shalt thou be burdened with care and harm？'And he went on to comfort the water fowl and soothe his terrors till he became reassured. Then he flew to the place where the carcass was and found on arriving there the birds of prey gone，and they had left nothing of the body but bones；