Once upon a time, a king named King Magadha reigned in Rajagaha. At that time there was a brahmin village, named salindiya, towards the north-east as you go out of the city. In this northeastern district was property belonging to Magadha. There was a brahmin who lived in Salindiya, whose name was Kosiyagotta, and he held an estate of one thousand acres, where he grew rice. When the crop was standing, he made a stout fence, and gave the land in charge to his own men, to one fifty acres, to another sixty, and so he distributed among them some five hundred he delivered to a hired man for a wage, and the man made a hut there and lived there day and night. Now to the north-east of this estate was a certain great wood of silk-cotton tree, growing upon the flat top of a hill, and in this wood lived a great number of parrots.

At that time the Bodhisatta was born among this flock of parrots, as the son of the king of the parrots. He grew up handsome and strong. His father now grow old said to him, “I am able no longer to go far afield; do you take care of this flock,” and committed the lordship of it to his son. From the next day onwards he flew to the Himalaya hills, and after eating his fill of the clumps of rice that grew wild there, on his return brought food sufficient for his mother and father, and fed them with it.

One day the parrots asked him a question. They said, “Formerly the rice was ripe by this time on the Magadha farm; is it grown now or not?” “Go and see,” he replied, and then sent two parrots to find out. The parrots departed, and alighted in the Magadha lands, in that part which was guarded by the hired man; rice they ate, and one head of rice they took back with them their wood, and dropped it before the Great Being’s feet, saying, “Such is the rice which grows there.” He went next day to the farm, and alighted, with all his flock. The man ran this way and that, trying to drive off the birds, but drive them away he could not. The rest of the parrots ate, and departed with empty beaks; but the parrot king gathered together a quantity of rice, and brought it back to his parents. Next day the parrots ate the rice there again, and so afterwards. Then the man began to think, “If these creatures go on eating for another few days, there will not be a bit left. The brahmin will have a price put on the rice, and fine me in the sum. I will go tell him.” Taking a handful of rice, and a gift with it, he went to see the brahmin, and greeted him, and stood on one side. “Well, my good man,” said the master, “is there a good crop of rice?” “Yes, brahmin, there is,” he replied:

“The crop of rice is very nice, but I would have you know,

The parrots are devouring it, I cannot make them go.

There is one bird, of all the herd the finest, who first feeds,

Then takes a bundle in his beak to meet his future needs.”

When the brahmin heard this, he conceived an affection for the parrot king. He said, “My man! do you know how to set a snare?” “Yes, I know.” The master then said:

“Then set a snare of horse’s hair that captured he many be;

And see thou take the bird alive and bring him here to me.”

The farm watchman was much pleased that no price had been put upon the rice, and no debt spoken of. He went straight and made a snare of horsehair. Then he found out when they were like to descend that day ; and spying out the place where the parrot king alighted, next day very early in the morning he made a cage about the size of a water-pot, and set the snare, and sat down in his hut looking for the parrots to come. The parrot king came amidst all his flock; and he being by no means greedy, came down in the same place as yesterday, with his foot right in the noose. When he found his foot fast he thought, “Now if I cry out the cry of the captured, my kinsfolk will be so terrified, they will fly away foodless. I must endure until they have finished their food,” when at last he perceived that they had taken their fill, being in fear of his life, he thrice cried the cry of the captured. All the birds flew off. Then the king of the parrots said,“ All these my kith and kin, and not one to look back at me! What sin have I done?”

The watchman heard the cry of the parrot king, and the sound of the other parrots flying through the air. “What is that?” thought he. Up he got from his of the parrots. “The very bird I set the snare for is caught!” he cried, in high delight. He took the parrot out of the snare, and tied both his feet together, and making his way to Salindiya village, he delivered the bird to the brahmin. The brahmin in his strong affection for the Great Being, caught hold of him tight in both hands, and seating him on his hip, said:

“The belies of all others are outbellied far by you:

First a full meal, then you fly off with a good beak- full too!

Have you a granary there to fill? Or do you hate me sore?

I ask it you, come tell me true-where do you put your store?”

On hearing this, the parrot king answered, repeating in a human voice:

“I hate thee not, O Kosiya! No granary I own;

Once in my wood I pay a debt, and also grant a loan,

And there I store a treasure up: so be my answer known.”

Then the brahmin asked him:

“What is that loan the which you grant? What is the debt you pay?

Tell me the treasure you store up, and then fly free away.”

To this request of the brahmin the parrot king made reply:

“My callow chicks, my tender brood, whose wings are still ungrown,

Who shall support me by and bye: to them I grant the loan.

Then my old parents, who far from youth’s bounds are set,

With that within my beak I bring, to them I pay my debt.”

And other birds of helpless wing, and weak full many more,

To these I give in charity: this sages call my store.

This is that loan the which I grant, this is the debt I pay,

And this the treasure I store up: now I have said my say.”

The brahmin was pleased when he heard this pious discourse from the Great Being; and he said:

“What noble principles of life! how blessed is this bird!

From many men who live on earth such rules are never heard.

Eat, eat your fill whereas you will, with all your kindred too;

And, parrot! Let us meet again: I love the sight of you.”

With these words, he looked upon the Great Being with a soft heart, as though it were his son; and loosing the bonds from his feet, he rubbed them with oil, and seated him on a seat of honour, and gave him to eat sweetened corn upon a golden dish, and gave him sugar-water to drink. After this the king of the parrots warned the brahmin to be careful:

“O Kosiya! Within thy dwelling here

I had both food and drink and friendship dear.

Give thou to those whose burden is laid down,

Support thy parents when they old are grown.”

But the Great Being refused to accept the thousand acres which the brahmin offered him, but took only eight acres. The brahmin set up boundary stones, and made over this property to him; and then, raising his hands to his head in reverence, he said, “Go in peace, my lord, and console your weeping parents,” and then let him go. Much pleased, he took a head of rice, and carried it to his parents and dropped it before them, saying, “Arise now, my dear parents!” they arose at his word, with blubbered faces. Then flocks of parrots began together, asking, “How did you get free, my lord?” He told them the whole story from beginning to end. And Kosiya followed the advice of the king of thee parrots, and distributed much alms to the righteous men, and ascetics, and Brahmins.