341. The Recluse And The Snake
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.
340. The Real Happiness
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a wealthy northern brahmin. Realising the evil of lusts and the blessings that flow from renouncing the world, he abjured lusts, and retiring to the Himalayas; there became a hermit and won the eight Endowments. His following waxed great, amounting to five hundred ascetics. Once when the rains set in, he quitted the Himalayas and traveling along on an alms-pilgrimage with his attendant ascetics. At last they came to Benares, where he took up his abode in the royal palace as the pensioner of the king’s bounty. After dwelling here for the four rainy months, he came to the king to take his leave. But the king said to him, “Reverend sir. You are old. Where will you go?Send your pupils back and stay here yourself.”
339. The Prince Who Kidnapped The Princess
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, he had in his service a Brahmin who professed to judge the quality of swords. He had a flat nose. And the king called in the surgeons and had him fitted with a false tip to his nose which was cunningly painted like a real nose; and then the Brahmin resumed his duties again about the king. Now Brahmadatta had no son, only a daughter and a nephew, whom he had brought up under his own eye. And when these two grew up, they fell in love with one another. So the king sent for his councilors and said to them, “My nephew is heir to the throne. If I give him my daughter in marriage, he shall be anointed king.”
338. The Ploughshares Eaten By Mice
Once upon a time, while Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta came into this world as the son of one in the king’s court. When he grew up he was made a Lord Justice.
At that time, two traders, one from a village and one from the town, were friends together. The villager deposited with the townsman five hundred plough-shares. The other sold these, and kept the price, and in the place where they were he scattered mouse dung. By and by came the villager, and asked for his plough-share. The cheat said, “The mice have eaten them up!” and pointed out the mouse dung to him.
