“The earth-born tree, on which We children of the air depend, It, even it, is now emitting fire. Seek then the skies, ye birds! Behold! our very home and refuge Itself has brought forth danger!” Then such of the birds as were wise, and hearkened to the voice of the Bodisat, flew up at once with him into the air, and went elsewhere. But such as were foolish said one to another, “Just so! Just so! He’s always seeing crocodiles in a drop of water!” And paying no attention to what he said, they stopped there. And not long afterwards fire was produced precisely in the way the Bodisat had foreseen, and the tree caught fire. And smoke and flames rising aloft, the birds were blinded by the smoke; they could not get away, and one after another they fell into the fire, and were burnt to death! * * * * * When the Teacher had finished this discourse with the words, “Thus formerly, O monk, even the birds dwelling on the tree-tops knew which place would suit them and which would not. How is it that you knew it not?” he proclaimed the Truths. At the conclusion of the Truths the monk was established in Conversion. And the Teacher made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka, “The birds who at that time listened to the voice of the Bodisat were the followers of the Buddha, but the Wise Bird was I myself.” END OF THE STORY OF THE WISE BIRD AND THE FOOLS. No. 37. TITTIRA JĀTAKA. The Partridge, Monkey, and Elephant. “_’Tis those who reverence the aged._”--This the Master told on the road to Sāvatthi about Sāriputta being kept out of a night’s lodging. For when Anātha Piṇḍika had finished his monastery, and sent word to the Teacher, the latter left Rājagaha and arrived at Vesali; and after resting there a short time, he set out again on the road to Sāvatthi.[333] On that occasion the pupils of the Six went on in front, and before lodgings had been taken for the Elders, occupied all the places to be had, saying,-- “This is for our superior, this for our instructor, and these for us.” The Elders who came up afterwards found no place to sleep in. Even Sāriputta’s pupils sought in vain for a lodging-place for the Elder. So the Elder having no lodging passed the night either walking up and down, or sitting at the foot of a tree, not far from the place where the Teacher was lodged. In the early morning the Teacher came out and coughed. The Elder coughed too. “Who’s there?” said the Teacher. “’Tis I, Lord; Sāriputta,” was the reply. “What are you doing here, so early, Sāriputta?” asked he. Then he told him what had happened; and on hearing what the Elder said, the Teacher thought,-- “If the monks even now, while I am yet living, show so little respect and courtesy to one another, what will they do when I am dead?” And he was filled with anxiety for the welfare of the Truth. As soon as it was light he called all the priests together, and asked them--