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himself: There is only one sweetmeat, and my two brothers are hungry : it would not be fitting for me to eat while they are fasting.' So he gave each of them half the sweetmeat, and they ate it. Then it became manifest that they had taken poison, for their eyes were seen to be whirling round from the effect of it. The king sent for the physicians, and they made the princes drink a solution of gold.* That brought the princes back to life. Then the king said to the female servant: 'Who gave you the sweetmeat ?' She answered: The cook gave it me; but as I was coming along the path, Priyadarçaná took the sweetmeat from my hand and then rubbed it.' Ságarachandra said to himself : This second mother of mine impregnated the sweetmeat with poison, and sent it here to put an end to my life.' When he had mastered the situation, the king reflected: When I offered her the kingdom on that occasion she would not take it; now she behaves in this way.' So he became filled with the spirit of renunciation, and took the vow of a hermit, making over the kingdom to the sons of Priyadarçaná. One day some holy men came from Ujjayin. The hermit Ságarachandra asked them : 'Are you free from persecution in Ujjayini ?' They answered: 'In that city the son of the king and the son of the chaplain oppress the hermits.' Then Ságarachandra, hearing the conduct of his own brother's son, went to Ujjayiní. He rested under some tree or other. When the time for begging came, the hermit Ságarachandra was invited by the hermits who lived there. He answered: 'I must break my fast on the food which I have myself obtained; I cannot eat food brought by another.' So point out to me the houses where hermits are relieved.' Then a certain hermit pointed out the house of the chaplain. The hermit Ságarachandra went there, and proclaimed in a loud voice the advantage of religion. Then the ladies came out, making a great disturbance. The hermit said with piercing accents : 'Lay sister, what is the meaning of this ?' Thereupon, hearing the tumult,
* Compare Shakespeare's · Henry IV. B.,' IV. v. 163.
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