Buddha (The concept) -- Juvenile literature; Buddhism -- Juvenile literature; Buddhist legends
And the Tortoise collected mud and quenched the flame. Then said the
men: “Let us kill the Tortoise: he will be enough for all.” But when
they plucked creepers to bind him and tried to turn him over, he dragged
them into the water. And they said: “What strange things have happened
to us! Half the night the Osprey has put out our fire, and now the
Tortoise has dragged us in after him and made us swallow water. Let us
light another fire, and at sunrise we will eat these young Hawks.”
The Hen-Bird heard the noise and said: “My husband—sooner or later these
men will devour our young and depart. You go and tell our friend the
Lion.” At once the Hawk went to the Lion, who asked him why he came at
such an unreasonable hour. But when the whole matter was put before him,
he said: “Go and comfort your young ones, for I will save them.” And
then he came forth with a mighty tread, and the men were terrified.
“Alas!” they cried. “The Osprey hath put out our fire. The Tortoise
dragged us into the water. But now we are done for: the Lion will
destroy us at once.” They ran this way and that, and when the noble
beast stood at the foot of the tree, no trace could be found of the
frightened men.
Then the Osprey, the Hawk, the She-Hawk, and the Tortoise came up to
greet him, and they discoursed for a long time on the value of
friendship. And this company of friends lived all their lives without
breaking their bond. And they passed away according to their deeds.
GRANDMOTHER’S GOLDEN DISH
Long ago the Bodisat was a dealer in tin and brass ware, named Seriva,
in the country of that name. This Seriva, together with another dealer
in tin and brass ware, who was an avaricious man, crossed the river
Tēlavāha, and entered the town called Andhapura. And, dividing the
streets of the city between them, the Bodisat went round selling his
goods in the street allotted to him, while the other took the street
that fell to him.
Now in that city there was a wealthy family reduced to abject poverty.
All the sons and brothers in the family had died, and all its property
had been lost. Only one girl and her grandmother were left; and those
two gained their living by serving others for hire. There was indeed in
the house the vessel of gold out of which the head of the house used to
eat in the days of its prosperity; but it was covered with dirt, and had
long lain neglected and unused among the pots and pans. And they did not
even know that it was of gold.
At that time the avaricious hawker, as he was going along, calling out,
“Buy my water-pots! Buy my water-pots!” came to the door of their house.
When the girl saw him, she said to her grandmother: “Mother! do buy me
an ornament.”
“But we are poor, dear. What shall we give in exchange for it?”
“This dish of ours is no use to us; you can give that away and get one.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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