Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta reigned Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a rich Brahmin’s son. When he was old enough to run about his mother gave birth to another son. Both the brothers, when they grew up, were so deeply pained at their parents’ death that they became anchorites, and lived in leaf-nuts which they made them at a bend of the Ganges river. The elder had his lodge by the upper Ganges, and the younger by the lower river.

One day, a Serpent-king (his name was Manikanta, or Jewel-throat) left his dwelling-place, and taking the shape of a man, walked along the river bank until he came to the younger brother’s hermitage. He greeted the owner, and sat down at once side. They conversed pleasantly together; and such friends did they become, that there was no living apart for them. Often and often came Manikanta to visit the younger recluse, and sat talking and chatting; and when he left, so much did he love the man, he put off his shape, and encircled the ascetic with snake’s folds, and embraced him, with his great hood upon his head’ there he lay a little, till his affection was satisfied; then he let go his friend’s body, and bidding his farewell, returned to his own place. For fear of him, the hermit grew thin; he because squalid, lost his colour grew yellower and yellower and the veins stood out upon his skin.

It happened one day that he paid a visit to his brother. He asked, “what makes you thin? How did you lose your colour? Why are you so yellow, and why do your veins stand out like this upon your skin?”

The other told him all about it.

The first said, “Come! Tell me. Do you like him to come or not?”

Younger recluse said, “No, I don’t.”

Elder recluse said,”Well! what ornament does the Serpent-king wear when he visits you?”

Younger recluse said, “A precious jewel!”

“Very well. When he comes again, before he has time to sit down ask him to give you the jewel. Then he will depart without embracing you in his shaky folds. Next day stand at your door, and ask him for it there; and on the third ask him just as he emerges from the river. He will never visit you again.”

The younger promised so to do, and returned to his hut. On the next morning, when the Serpent had come, as he stood there the hermit cried, “Give me your beautiful jewel!” The Serpent hurried away without sitting down. On the day following, the hermit stood at his door, and called out as the Serpent came, “You would not give me your jewel yesterday ! now today you must!” And the Serpent slipped off without entering the hut. On the third day, the man called out just as the Serpent was emerging from the water, “This is the third day that I have asked you for it; come, give this jewel to me!” And the Serpent, speaking from his place in the water, refused.

The King of the Serpents lunged beneath the water, and went to his own place, never returned.

Then the ascetic, not seeing his beautiful Serpent-King again, became thinner and thinner still; he grew more squalid, lost his colour worse than before, and grew more yellow, and the veins rose thicken on his skin!

The elder brother thought he would go and see how his brother was getting on. He paid him a visit, and found him yellower than he had been before.

He asked, ” Why? how is this? Worse than ever!”

His younger brother replied, “It is because I never see the lovely Kings of Serpents!”

The elder said, on hearing his answer, “This hermit cannot live without his Serpent-King.”

Then he counseled his brother not to grieve, and with this consolation, left him and returned to his own hermitage. And after that the two brothers cultivated the Faculties and the Attainments, and became destined for the heaven of Brahma.