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JAINA STORIES
tion went round announcing the offer of a large cash reward to anyone who would repair it, but none responded in view of the severe condition attached to this work
There was, however, an old and intelligent goldsmith who was very poor He had four sons Old as he was, he thought of shouidering the risk and sacrificing his life for the sake of improving the financial condition of the family. When he was brought to the king, the latter gave him the necklace for purposes of repair, and fifty per cent of the award, with a promise to pay the remainder on the success-- ful completion of the work
"The goldsmith returned home He tried his best to repair it but could not. It became a stupendous problem for him, and he was anxious throughout the day and night devising ways to pass the thread through the eyes in the stones At last, he hit upon a device which was to dip the thread end in honey and place it on the ground. This worked well. An ant came there, picked up tbe thread end and passed with it through the eyes of the stones When the whole thing was done, the goldsmith picked up the two ends of the thread and tied them together But no sooner was the work done than his head cracked and he fell dead He was born as a monkey in a nearby orchard
"The sons of the dead smith brought the necklace to the king and asked for the remaining portion of the reward The repair was so flawless that the king was happy, but he declined to make the payment on the plea that the fellow who had repaired it was dead and that the sons were not entitled to the payment The king's words pained the sons, but what could thev do against the king? They had now a two-fold cause for grief, viz., that they lost their father and that they did not get the full reward
"Non, one day, the monkey came by chance to his former house and his memory at once revived He became inquisire to know if the king had paid the remaining portion of
