Once upon a time, king Susima ruled Benares; and the Bodhisatta was came to the worls as the son of his chaplain. The father was Master of the Ceremonies in the king’s elephant festivals. He alone had right to all the trappings and appointments of the elephants which came into the place of festival. By this means he gained as much as ten millions at each festival. When he was sixteen years old, his father died.

At the time of our story the season for an elephant festival came round. And the Brahmins all flocked to the king, with these words. “O great king! The season for an elephant festival has come, and a festival should be made. But chaplain’s son is very young; he knows neither the three Vedas nor the lore of elephants. Shall we conduct the ceremony?” To this the king consented.

The Brahmins were delighted and went. They said, “Aha! we have barred this lad from performing the festival. We shall do it ourselves, and keep the gains!”

But the Bodhisatta’s mother heard that the elephant festival is going to be conducted in four days. She thought, “For seven generations, we have managed the elephant festivals from father to son. The old custom will pass from us, and our wealth will all melt away!” She wept and wailed.

“Why are you weeping?” asked her son. She told him the whole thing. He said, “well, mother! shall I conduct the festival?” “What! You my son! You don’t know the three Vedas or the elephant lore; how can you do it?”

“When are they going to have the festival, mother?”

“Four days from now, my son.”

“Where can I find teachers who know the three Vedas by heart, and all the elephant lore?”

“A famous teacher lives in Takkasila, in the realm of Gandhara, two thousand leagues away.” He said, “Mother! we shall not lose our hereditary right. One day will take me to Takkasila; one night will be enough to teach me the three Vedas and the elephant lore; on the morning I will come home; and on the fourth day I will manage the elephant festival. Weep no more!” With these words he comforted his mother.

Next morning he broke his fast, and went to Takkasila, which he reached in a single day. Then seeking out the teacher, he greeted him and sat on one side.

“Where have you come from? And what for” the teacher asked.

“From Benares, Teacher and to learn from you the three Vedas and the elephant lore.”

He narrated the whole thing. The Teacher gave consent to teach. Then the lad washed his master’s feet, and laid before him a fee of a thousand pieces of money; he sat down on one side, and learnt his lesson by heart; within the night he finished the three Vedas and the Elephant Lore. He asked, “Is there any thing more? Sir?”

“No, my son, you have it all.”

He added, “Sir! in this book such a verse comes in too late, such another has gone astray in the reading. This is the way to teach your pupils for the future.” and then he corrected his teacher’s knowledge for him.

After an early meal he came back to Benares in a single day and greeting his mother. She asked, “Have you learnt your lesson, my son?” He answered yes and she was delighted do hear it.

Next day, the festival of the elephants was prepared. A hundred elephants were set in array, with golden trappings, golden flags, all covered with a network of fine gold and all the palace courtyard was decked out. There stood the Brahmins, in all their fine grand dress, thinking to themselves, “Now we shall do the ceremony, we shall do it!” Presently came the king, in all his splendour, and with him the ornaments and other things that were used.

The Bodhisatta, dressed like a prince, approached the king with these words.

“Is it really true? O great king! that you are going to rob me of my right? Are you going to give other Brahmins the managing of this ceremony? Have you said that you mean to give them the various ornaments and vessels that are used?” and he said:

Five score black elephants, with tusks all white

Are thine, in gold caparison bedight.

To thee, and thee I give them dost thou say,

Remembering my old ancestral right?”

King Susima, thus addressed, then repeated:

“Five score black elephants, with tusks all white,

Are mine, in gold caparison bedight.

To thee, and thee I give them so I say,

My lad, remembering thine ancestral right.”

Then a thought struck the Bodhisatta; and he said, “Sir! if you remember my ancient right and your ancient custom, why do you neglect me and make others the masters of your festival?” The King said, “Why? I was told that you did not know the three Vedas or the Elephant Lore, and that is why I have ordered the festival to be managed by others.”

“Very well, Sir! If there is one amongst all these Brahmins who can recite a portion of the Vedas or the Elephant Lore against me, let him stand forward! There is no one to compete me in the three Vedas and the Elephant Lore for the ordering of an Elephant festival!” Proud as a lion’s roar rang out the answer! Not a Brahmin rise and contend with him. So the Bodhisatta kept his ancestral right, and conducted the ceremony; and laden with riches, he returned home.