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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[May, 1897.
The father gladly agreed to the proposal, and some fruit and flowers. At this juncture, a the lad afterwards turned out a very brilliant tiger came there, and the Brahman, becoming character.
afraid, tried to make his escape. The tiger, XXVI.
however, pursued and overtook him. In this sad As a boy was sitting on the prink of a well predicament, the Brahman begged him to spare crying bitterly, a thief came there, and, seeing his life for three days, that he might return him, asked him why he was crying. He answered
home, settle his affairs, and take leave of his that as he was playing, he looked into that
family. The tiger asked him what was to be done well, when the pearl necklace that was on his
in the event of his not returning. He replied, neck slipped off and fell into the water. If he
there was no fear, for he would take his oath to should go home without the necklace, his parents
return. The tiger having consented, he returned would thrash him, and on that account he
home disconsolate, and after employing the three was crying. The thief, thin king he would be
days in settling his affairs and taking leave of his able to steal it, said to him :-"My lad, be not
family, he arrived at the prescribed time, at the afraid, I will go down to the well and get the
place where he had appointed to meet the tiger, pearl necklace; do you take care of my clothes."
who was so pleased at his veracity that he allow. Having left his clothes on the bank, he descended him to depart uninjured. ed into the well, naked. As soon as he had Thus a person who keeps up to his word is got to the bottom, the boy took his clothes and always respected. ran away with them. The thief, having searched
XXIX. for a long time and not finding the necklaco, came up again ; but not seeing the boy anywhere,
In Jayasthala on the banks of the Kaveri, he exclaimed: - "Even I, who am a rogue, have
there lived a Brahman, Durgatha by name. As he been deceived by a boy."
was in very indigent circumstances, he used to go Moral :- However clever a person thinks
a-begging to four different villages, come home
at about two or three o'clock every day, and cook himself, he may be outwitted by others..
his own meal and eat. Things went on thus XXVII.
for some time, and when on a certain day the poor There was a tiger in a certain wood who used to
Brahman was plodding his weary way homeward, kill and devour all the beasts that inhabited it. it came to pass that Isvara and his wife were One day he caught a wild buffalo, and while
wild buffalo, and while sauntering in the heavens. Parbat!, the wife, eating it, one of its bones stuck in his jaws. 1. unable to endure the sight of this poverty-stricken Being unable to extract the bone, blood and pus | Bråbman, took compassion on him, and requested collected there and caused the tiger a good deal her husband to bless him with riches. Whereof pain. The tiger laid himself down under a upon Isvara replied and said that Brahmå had tree, and in great pain opened his mouth, and not written on his face that he must enjoy wealth, exclaimed thus: - "How shall I extract this and that he must therefore live and die a beggar. How shall I live? What shall I do P” In his dis- Párbati thereupon said :-“Let me see how this tress he saw a crow upon the tree, and said to Brahman cannot become wealthy when we will it," him: "O crow, you see the pain I am suffering
and threw a heap of one thousand gold mohars on from; if you will but extract the bone and restore
his way. The Brahman came to within ten yards me to life, I will give you as much as you want
of the heap, when suddenly the thought struck from the food I procure every day." The crow
him to see if he could walk like a blind man. He was moved by this supplication, and, taking com
accordingly shut his eyes and passed off the heap passion on him, entered his mouth, from which of mohare on the way. he took out the bone, and asked the tiger for the Moral : -The law of karma (fate) is inevit. flesh he had promised. The tiger replied: -lable. " When you entered my mouth, I did not crush
xxx. you under my jaws, but allowed you to come out uninjured. Ungrateful for this, do you ask me There was a Brahman, Vasanthayaji by name, for flesh P Look to your business."
at Sriramapura, on the banks of the Tamra
parpi. He conceived the idea of performing a yajna Thus people in prosperity often forget the
(sacrifice), and wanted four or five of the best friends who have served them in adversity.
goats for the purpose. He went, therefore, to a XXVIII.
neighbouring village, purchased the goats, tied a There lived at Dharapurs & Brahman, rope round their necks, and was wending his way who went one day into the forest to gather home, when four Sadras wanted to appropriate the
