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Now there was a man appointed to watch the rice-fields, and he did his best to drive the Parrots away, but there seemed to be some secret power in the leader of this flock which the Keeper could not overcome. He noticed that the Parrots ate their fill and then flew away, but that the Parrot- King not only satisfied his hunger, but carried away rice in his beak. Now he feared there would be no rice left, and he went to his master the Brahmin to tell him what had happened ; and even as the master listened there came to him the thought that the Parrot- King was something higher than he seemed, and he loved him even before he saw him. But he said nothing of this, and only warned the Keeper that he should set a snare and catch the dangerous bird. So the man did as he was bidden : he made a small cage and set the snare, and sat down in his hut waiting for the birds to come. And soon he saw the Parrot-King amidst his FILIAL PIETY 43 flock, who, because he had no greed, sought no richer spot, but flew down to the same place in which he had fed the day before. Now, no sooner had he touched the ground than he felt his feet caught in the noose. Then fear crept into his bird - heart, but a stronger feeling was there to crush it down, for he thought : " If I cry out the Cry of the Captured, my Kinsfolk will be terrified, and they will fly away foodless. But if I lie still, then their hunger will be satisfied, and they may safely come to my aid." Thus was the Parrot both brave and prudent. But alas ! he did not know that his Kins- folk had nought of his brave spirit. When they had eaten their fill, though they heard the thrice - uttered cry of the captured, they flew away, nor heeded the sad plight of their leader. Then was the heart of the Parrot -King sore within him, and he said : " All these my kith and kin, and not one to look back on me. Alas ! what sin have I done ? " The Watchman now heard the cry of the Parrot - King, and the sound of the other Parrots flying through the air. "What is 44 THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS PARROT that ? " he cried, and leaving his hut he came to the place where he had laid the snare. There he found the captive Parrot ; he tied his feet together and brought him to the Brahmin, his master. Now, when the Brahmin saw the Parrot- King, he felt his strong power, and his heart was full of love to him, but he hid his feelings and said in a voice of anger : "Is thy greed greater than that of all other birds ? They eat their fill, but thou takest away each day more food than thou canst eat. Doest thou this out of hatred for me, or dost thou store up the food in some granary for selfish greed ? " And the Great Being made answer in a sweet human voice: "I hate thee not, O Brahmin. Nor do I store the rice in a granary for selfish greed. But this thing I do. Each day I pay a debt which is due — each day I grant a loan, and each day I store up a treasure." Now the Brahmin could not understand the words of the Buddha (because true wisdom had not entered his heart), and he said : " I pray thee, O Wondrous Bird, to make these words clear unto me." FILIAL PIETY 45 And then the Parrot - King made answer : " I carry food to my ancient parents who can no longer seek that food for themselves : thus I pay my daily debt. I carry food to my callow chicks whose wings are yet ungrown. When I am old they will care for me — this my loan to them. And for other birds, weak and helpless of wing, who need the aid of the strong, for them I lay up a store ; to these I give in charity." Then was the Brahmin much moved, and showed the love that was in his heart. " Eat thy fill, O Righteous Bird, and let thy Kinsfolk eat too, for thy sake." And he wished to bestow a thousand acres of land upon him, but the Great Being would only take a tiny portion round which were set boundary stores. And the Parrot returned with a head of rice, and said : " Arise, dear Parents, that I may take you to a place of plenty." And he told them the story of his deliverance. THE VALUE OF PERSEVERANCE THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS MERCHANT : ILLUSTRATING THE VALUE OF PERSEVERANCE Once upon a time the Buddha (to be) was born in a merchant's family ; and when he grew up he went about trafficking with five hundred carts. One day he arrived at a sandy desert twenty leagues across. The sand in that desert was so fine that when taken in the closed fist it could not be kept in the hand. After the sun had risen it became as hot as a mass of charcoal, so that no man could walk on it. Those, therefore, who had to travel over it took wood and water and oil and rice in their carts, and travelled during the night. And at daybreak they formed an encampment, and spread an awning over it, and, taking their meals early, they passed the day sitting in the shade. At sunset they supped ; and when 49 d 50 THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS MERCHANT the ground had become cool, they yoked their oxen and went on. The travelling was like a voyage over the sea : a so-called land-pilot had to be chosen, and he brought the caravan safe to the other side by his knowledge of the stars. On this occasion the merchant of our story traversed the desert in that way. And when he had passed over fifty - nine leagues, he thought: "Now in one more night we shall get out of the sand." And after supper he directed the wood and water to be thrown away, and the waggons to be yoked, and so set out. The pilot had cushions arranged on the foremost cart, and lay down looking at the stars, and directing them where to drive. But, worn out by want of rest during the long march, he fell asleep, and did not perceive that the oxen had turned round and taken the same road by which they had come. The oxen went on the whole night through. Towards dawn the pilot woke up, and, observing the stars, called out : " Stop the waggons ! Stop the waggons ! " The day broke just as they had stopped, and were drawing up the carts in a line. Then the men cried THE VALUE OF PERSEVERANCE 51 out : " Why, this is the very encampment we left yesterday ! Our wood and water is all gone ! We are lost ! " And unyoking the oxen, and spreading the canopy over their heads, they lay down in despondency, each one under his waggon. But the Bodisat, saying to himself, " If I lose heart, all these will perish," walked about while the morning was yet cool. And on seeing a tuft of Kusa grass, he thought : " This must have grown by attracting some water which there must be beneath it." And he made them bring a hoe and dig in that spot. And they dug sixty cubits deep. And when they had got thus far, the spade of the diggers struck on a rock : and as soon as it struck, they all gave up in despair. But the Bodisat thought, " There must be water under that rock," and, stooping down, applied his ear to it and tested the sound of it. And he heard the sound of water gurgling beneath. And he got out and called his page. " My lad, if you give up now, we shall all be lost. Don't you lose heart. Take this iron hammer, and go down into the pit and give the rock a good blow." 52 THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS MERCHANT The lad obeyed, and though they all stood by in despair, he went down full of determina- tion, and struck at the stone. And the rock split in two and fell below, and no longer blocked up the stream. And water rose till its brim was the height of a palm-tree in the well. And they all drank of the water, and bathed in it. Then they split up their extra yokes and axles, and cooked rice and ate it, and fed their oxen with it. And when the sun set, they put up a flag by the well and went to the place appointed. There they sold their merchandise at double and treble profit, and returned to their own home, and lived to a good old age, and then passed away accord- ing to their deeds. And the Bodisat gave gifts, and did other virtuous acts, and passed away according to his deeds. THE POWER OF HONESTY THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS DEALER IN TIN : ILLUSTRATING THE POWER OF HONESTY The Merchant of Seri Long ago in the fifth dispensation before the present one, the Bodisat was a dealer in tin and brass ware, named Seriva, in the country of that name.