The monkeys did as they were told and watered the saplings. Now the leader of the monkeys said to the monkeys: “Wait a moment! Water is at all times hard to get; it must not be wasted. What you must do is to pull up the saplings by the roots, note the length of the roots, water plentifully the saplings that have long roots, but sparingly those that have short roots.” “Very well,” said the monkeys, and went about watering the saplings, some of them pulling the saplings up by the roots and others planting them again. At that time the Future Buddha was the son of a certain notable in Benāres. Having occasion, for some purpose or other, to go to the garden, he saw those monkeys working away, and asked them: “Who told you to do this?” “The monkey who is our leader.” “Well! if this is the wisdom of your leader, what must yours be like!” And explaining the matter, he uttered the first stanza: If the monkey considered the best of the crowd Has wisdom like this, Then what in the world must the others be like? Hearing this remark, the monkeys uttered the second stanza: Brahman, you don’t know what you are talking about When you blame us like this; For how, unless we see the roots, Can we know whether the tree stands firm? Hearing their reply, the Future Buddha uttered the third stanza: It isn’t you I blame,--not I,-- Nor the other monkeys in the wood; Vissasena alone is the one to blame, Who asked you to tend his trees for him. When the Teacher had related this parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the leader of the monkeys was the youth who spoiled the garden, but the wise man was I myself.” _23. Two Dicers._ _Take care!_ _A. Canonical version._ Dīgha ii. 348-349. In olden times two dicers played at dice. The first dicer swallowed every ace. The second dicer saw that dicer swallow every ace. Seeing, he said this to that dicer: “You, sir, have it all your own way. Give me the dice, sir; I must hurry away.” “Yes, sir,” said that dicer, and handed over the dice to that dicer. Now that dicer painted the dice with poison, and said this to that dicer: “Come, sir, let us play at dice.” “Yes, sir,” said that dicer in assent to that dicer. A second time also those dicers played at dice; a second time also that dicer swallowed every ace. The second dicer saw that dicer swallow for the second time also every ace. Seeing, he said this to that dicer: Smeared with the strongest poison Was the die the man swallowed, but knew it not. Swallow, O swallow, wicked dicer! Later it will taste bitter to you. _B. Uncanonical version._ Jātaka 91: i. 379-380.