615. Luck mistaken for skill

ஓடுநீர் தந்ததெல்லாம் தன்வலியென் றோடுமீன்வாடுகுளம் காட்டும் வழக்கு

oduneer thandadhellaam thanvaliyen rodumeenvaadukulam kaattum vazhakku

A fish that runs in running water counts all the water gave it as its own strength; the drying pond shows how the case stands.

The drying pond is the same water with its flow gone. vazhakku means both ‘the way things truly are’ and ‘a court case’.

616. Whose stories survive

கரைசேர்ந்தார் நீந்தியதைக் கூறுவார் நாணார்கரையிலார் மூழ்கல் மறை

karaiserndaar neendiyadhaik kooruvaar naanaarkaraiyilaar moozhkal marai

Those who reached the shore tell of their swimming, unashamed; those who had no shore drown out of sight.