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Story of the four merchants' sons
Parable of the golden peacock feather, 20
A certain person, by the favor of a Yaksa, is permitted to pick up a golden feather every day as it falls from the plumage of a golden peacock. Not content with this slow process of accumulation, he foolishly captures the peacock, only to find him like any other peacock. On coming home, his feathers are ordinary feathers, whereat he is sorely grieved (630-634).
127
Parable of the monkey-pair who became human 27
A fond pair of monkeys arrive at the holy bathingplace Prapata, on the side of which they climb a tree. The tree being very shaky, they tumble into the water, and come out a lovely pair of human beings. The male, surprised and delighted, proposes to his mate to try another fall, on the chance that they should become immortal gods. The wise female warns him against excessive greed, but he tries the fall, turning again into a monkey. She goes off with a Vidyadhara (635-640).
Story of the four merchants' sons, continued
The Muni then bade Candra remain content, whereupon Candra went to Puspapura, where he prospered greatly. One by one his three friends turned up; they
"A secondary, rather illogical version of this story in Jataka 136. The idea of birds yielding gold is as old as Mahabh. 2. 62. Cf. Benfey, Das Pafcatantra, i. 378.
"Cf. Pārçva 7. 452 ff.; Paricistaparvan 2. 407 ff.; Kathakoça, p. 50; Kathaprakāça, in Gurupūjākaumudi, p. 122; Prabandhacintamani, p. 283; Pañcakhyānavärttika nr. 37, reproduced by Hertel, Das Pañcatantra, p. 150. Leumann, in Hertel's Translation of Paricistaparvan, p. 234, cites Kalpabhagya Pedhiya 283, and Jinabhadraganin's Vicesăvacyaka Bhagya i. 862. Cf. also Samaradityasamkṣepa 2. 173 ff.
