The Bodhisatta was once born as a big rat, leader of a troop of rats. A roving jackal, wishing to eat them, took up his stand near their home, poised on one leg, feigning great holiness. Impressed by his austerities, the Bodhisatta and his troop worshipped him, and each day the jackal ate the hindmost rat when they turned to leave him. Seeing their number diminish, the Bodhisatta suspected the reason, and one day he himself came last, behind the others. When the jackal pounced on him, he sprang at his throat and killed him, the other rats eating the body.

The story was told in reference to a monk who was a hypocrite. J.i.460 f.