I could not resist the temptation of relating a few of these tales. They
are, as every one must admit, nobly conceived, lofty in meaning, and
many a helpful sermon might be preached from them as texts. But, of
course, not all are fit to be used in a primary course. Some of them
are, some are not. The teacher will have no difficulty in making the
right selection. To the former class belongs also No. 28 of the
collection,[10] which is excellently adapted to impress the lesson of
kindness to animals. Long ago the Buddha came to life in the shape of a
powerful bull. His master, a Brahman, asserted that this bull of his
could move a hundred loaded carts ranged in a row and bound together.
Being challenged to prove his assertion, he bathed the bull, gave him
scented rice, hung a garland of flowers around his neck, and yoked him
to the first cart. Then he raised his whip and called out, "Gee up, you
brute. Drag them along, you wretch!" The bull said to himself, "He calls
me wretch; I am no wretch." And keeping his forelegs as firm as steel,
he stood perfectly still. Thereupon the Brahman, his master, was
compelled to pay a forfeit of a thousand pieces of gold because he had
not made good his boast. After a while the bull said to the Brahman, who
seemed very much dispirited: "Brahman, I have lived a long time in your
house. Have I ever broken any pots, or have I rubbed against the walls,
or have I made the walks around the premises unclean?" "Never, my dear,"
said the Brahman. "Then why did you call me wretch? But if you will
never call me wretch again, you shall have two thousand pieces for the
one thousand you have lost." The Brahman, hearing this, called his
neighbors together, set up one hundred loaded carts as before, then
seated himself on the pole, stroked the bull on the back, and called
out, "Gee up, my beauty! Drag them along, my beauty!" And the bull, with
a mighty effort, dragged along the whole hundred carts, heavily loaded
though they were. The bystanders were greatly astonished, and the
Brahman received two thousand pieces on account of the wonderful feat
performed by the bull.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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