Once upon a time a great monarch named Magadha reigned in Rajagaha. And merchant of that city brought home for his son’s wife the daughter of some county merchant. But she was barren. In course of time less respect was paid to her for this cause; they all talked so that she could hear them. As this talk kept coming to her ears, she pretended to be pregnant. Her husband too showed her the attentions proper to her state. After nine months had passed in this fashion, she declared her wish to go to her father’s house. So taking leave of her husband’s parents, she mounted a carriage, and with a large number of attendants left Rajagaha behind her, and proceeded along the road.

A poor woman in that caravan had borne a son under a banyan tree; and she left the child there and went away. And the deity of the tree took care of him; he was not any ordinary child, but the Bodhisatta himself had come into the world in that form.

The woman, with her nurse, going apart to the shade of the banyan tree for her toilet, saw a babe of the colour of gold lying there. She took the baby and declared that she had delivered a son on the way. The attendants at once raised a tent to seclude her. They sent a message to Rajagaha. Her husband’s parents wrote in reply that as the babe was born, there was no need for her to go to her father’s house; let her return. So she returned to Rajagaha at once. And they acknowledged the bade and when the babe came to be named, named him after the place where he was born, Nigrodha Kumara, or Master Banyan. That same day, the daughter-in-law of a merchant, on her way home to her father for the birth, brought forth a son beneath the branches of a tree and they named him as Sakha Kumara, Master Branch. And on the same day, the wife of a tailor bore a son amidst his bits of cloth; and him they called Pottika or Dollie.

The great merchant sent for these two children, as having been born on Master Banyan’s birthday, and brought them up with him.

They all grew up together, and by-and-bye went to Takkasila to complete their education. Both the merchants sons had two thousand pieces to give their teacher for a fee; Master Banyan provided Pottika with an education under his own wing.

When their education was finished, they wanted to learn the customs of the country folk; and traveling on and on, in time they came to Benares and lay down to rest in a temple. It was then the seventh day since the king of Benares had died. Proclamation was made through the city by beat of drum that on the morning the festal car would be prepared. The three comrades were lying under a tree asleep, when at dawn Pottika awoke, and sitting up began to chafe Banyan’s feet. Some cocks were roosting upon that tree, and two cocks were quarelling as to who is special? One cock said, “Whoever kills me and eats my flesh will receive a thousand pieces of money this very morning! Is not that something to be proud of?” “Pooh, pooh,” said the other, “proud of a little thing like that! If any one kills me and eats of my fat, he will become a king this very morning; he that eats of the middle flesh, becomes commander-in-chief; who eats the flesh about the bones he will be treasurer!”

All this Pottika overhead. He seized the second cock that was roosting atop, and killed it, and cooked it in the embers; the fat he gave to Banyan, the middle flesh to Branch, and himself ate the flesh that was about the bones. When they had eaten, he said, “Banyan, Sir, to-day you will be king; Branch Sir, you will be commander-in-chief; and as for me, I’m the treasurer!” “They asked him how he knew; he told them .

So they entered the city of Benares and entered the royal park. Banyan lay down upon a slab of stone, the other two lay beside him. It so happened that at the moment ceremonial chariot came and stopped there. The chaplain entered the park, and saw the young man; and then removing the cloth from his feet he examined the marks upon them. He proclaimed, “Here is our King!” The chaplain fell upon one knee, saying “Divine being, the kingdom is yours!” “So be it,” said the youth. The chaplain placed him upon the throne and sprinkled him to be king.

Then the king gave the post of Commander-in -chief to his friend Branch and entered the city in great pomp; and Pottika went with them.

From that day onward the Great Being ruled righteously in Benares.

One day the memory of his parents came into his mind; and addressing Branch he said “Sir, it is impossible to live without father and mother; take a large company of people, and go fetch them.” But Branch refused and said, “That is not my business.” Then he told Pottika to do it. Pottika agreed, and making his way to Banyan’s parents, told them that their son had become a king and begged them to come to him. But they declined. He asked Branch’s parents also to come, and they too preferred to stay. When he invited his own, they also refused like the rest.

He then returned to Benares. Thinking that he would rest from the fatigue of the journey in the house of the Commander-in-chef, before seeing Banyan, he went to that house.

He told the door-keeper, “Tell the Commander-in-chief that his comrade Pottika is here.” The man did so But Branch had conceived a grudge against him, because, Pottika had given his comrade Banyan the kingdom instead of himself; so on hearing this massage, he waxed angry. “Comrade indeed who is his comrade? A mad base born churl! seize him! ‘So they beat him and kicked him out.

Pottika thought, “Branch gained the the post of Commander-in-chief through me, and now he is ungrateful, and malicious, and has beaten me, and kicked me out. But Banyan is a wise man, grateful and good, and to him I will go.” So to the king’s door he went, and sent a message to the king, that Pottika his comrade was waiting at the door. The king asked him in and as he saw him approach, rose up from his seat, and went forth to meet him, and greeted him with affection; he caused him to be shaved and cared for, and adorned with all manner of ornaments then gave him rich meats of every sort to eat; and this done sat graciously with him, and enquired after his parents, who as the other informed him refused to come.

Now Branch thought to himself, “Pottika will tell the king what had happened here if he is alone with the king and went to the king to avoid it. And Pottika even in his presence, explained what had happened in Branch’s house.

On hearing these, Banyan replied:

“I know not, have ever heard in speech from any one,

Any such ill as this you tell which Sakha now has done.

“With me and Sakha you have lived; we both your comrades were; 

Of empery among mankind you gave us each a share;

We have by thee got majesty, and not a doubt is there.

“As when a seed in fire is cast, it burns and cannot grow;

Do a good turn to evil men it perishes even so.

“The grateful, good and virtuous, such men are not as they;

In good soil seeds, in good men deeds are never thrown away.’

As Banyan was reciting these lines Branch stood still where he was. Then the king asked him “Well Branch, do you recognize this man Pottika?” He was dumb. And the king ordered:

“Seize on this worthless traitor here, whose thoughts so evil be;

Spear him for I would have him die-his life is not to me.”

But Pottika, on hearing this thought within himself– “Let not this fool die for my sake!” and said:

“Great king, have mercy life once gone is hard to bring again

My lord forgive, and let him live I wish the churl no pain.”

When the king heard this, he forgave Branch; and he wished to bestow the place of Commander-in -chief upon Pottika, but he would not accept. Then the king gave him the post of Treasurer. And by-and-bye Pottika the Royal Treasurer, being blessed with sons and with daughters, uttered:

“With Nigrodha one should dwell;

To wait on Sakha is not well.

Better with Nigrodha death

Than with sakha to draw breath.”