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every one became rich and happy? This was the most wonderful sacrifice any man ever performed." But the mungoose said, "There was once a little village, and in it there dwelt a poor Brahmin, with his wife, his son and his son's wife. They were very poor and lived on alms gained by preaching and teaching, for which men made small gifts to them. There came in that land a three years' famine, and the poor Brahmin suffered more than ever. At last for five days the family starved, but on the sixth day the father brought home a little barley flour, which he had been fortunate enough to find, and he divided it into four parts, one for each member of the family. They prepared it for their meal, and just as they were about to eat it a knock came at the door. The father opened it, and there stood a guest. Now in India a guest is a sacred person ; he is as a god for the time being, and must be treated as such. So the poor Brahmin said,
Come in, sir ; you are welcome.' He set before the guest his own portion of the food, and the
