Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his Councillor who gave him advice in things spiritual and temporal. There was a rising on the frontier, and the troops there stationed sent the king a letter. The king started, and camped in a park. The Bodhisatta stood before the king. At that moment the people had steamed some peas for the horses, and poured them out into a trough.

One of the monkeys that lived in the park jumped down from a tree, filled his mouth and hands with the peas, then up again, and sitting down in the tree he began to eat. As he ate, one pea fell from his hand upon the ground. He immediately dropped all the peas from his hands and mouth, and came down from the tree to hunt for the lost pea. But that pea he could not find; so he climbed up his tree again, and sat still, very glum, looking like some one who had lost a thousand gold coins.

The king observed how the monkey had done, and pointed it out to the Bodhisatta. “Friend, what do you think of that?” he asked. To which the Bodhisatta made answer. “King this is what fools of little wit are wont to do they spend a pound to win a penny.”

Then the Bodhisatta continued: “Such are we, O mighty monarch! such all those that greedy be;

Losing much to gain a little, like the monkey and the pea.”

On hearing this address the king turned and went straight back to Benares. And the outlaws hearing that the king is coming to kill his enemies, hurried away from the borders.