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fact to the abbot, and then when the due time was come, the queen gave birth to a son. Though the other female ascetics attended the queen, she, being oppressed by the exhaustion of child-birth, died for want of proper remedies. At this conjuncture, a merchant, of the name of Devadhara, a native of Ujjayiní, arrived in that forest of ascetics with his wife Devasená, on their way back from Harshapura. This merchant was devoted to ascetics. He saw that the abbot's face was black. The merchant said : Why is your face black ?' The abbot told him the whole occurrence. The merchant said: Then give this boy to me, reverend sir, in order that I may give it to my wife, who has recently been delivered. A girl has lately been born to her. So this boy and the girl will drink milk at her breast, and so thrive comfortably.' The abbot then gave the boy to the merchant Devadhara. The merchant said to his attendants : “My wife has given birth to twins, a boy and a girl.' They gave that boy the name of Amaradatta, and the daughter the name of Sundarí. In course of time Amaradatta struck up a great friendship with Mitránanda, the son of a merchant who was an inhabitant of that city. One day in the rainy season they went to amuse themselves in the public garden of Ujjayiní, on the bank of the river Siprá, near a haunted banyan-tree. They were playing the game of ball between them. Then, while Amaradatta was throwing the ball, and Mitránanda catching it, it fell into the mouth of a corpse hanging on that banyan-tree. The corpse said: 'As that ball has fallen into my mouth, so shall it fall into thy mouth when thou art hanging upon this very tree.' When Mitránanda heard this, he was terrified, and said to Amaradatta : “My dear friend, enough of play. Let us go to our own house. Amaradatta answered : 'As this ball has fallen into the mouth of a corpse, let us play with another.' Though Amaradatta said this, Mitránanda would not consent to play. Then both of them went to their own rooms. After eating, the two were sitting together. Then Amaradatta said: 'Mitránanda, why does your face appear black ?' Mitránanda
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