Cullahaṁsajātaka

Suttapiṭaka · Khuddakanikāya · Jātaka (2) · Vol. 28 · Section 194

[194] "Truly, great king, I am not able to slip in a word in between, as a nāga king (nāgarājā) [glides] into a gap; that would not be proper discipline (vinaya) for me. He indeed is the foremost among us, and you are the highest of beings, a guardian of the earth, a lord of men: [both of you are] worthy of veneration for many reasons. While those two are speaking, while the deliberation is in progress, a servant should not interject a word in between, O ruler of men (manujādhipa)."

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.