Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/299

Rh "What for, then?"

"I have been granted all those who go down into this pond."

"What? All!"

"Well; all save those who know what beings are divine. The rest are my prey."

"But have you then any need of divine beings?"

"Yes, certainly."

"If it be so, I will tell you who are divine."

"Speak on then; and I shall get to know who have the attributes which are divine."

Then the Bodisat said, "I would teach you regarding this matter; but I am all unclean with my journey." And the water-sprite bathed the Bodisat, and provided him with food, and brought him water, and decked him with flowers, and anointed him with perfumes, and spread out for him a couch in a beautiful arbour.

And the Bodisat seated himself there, and made the water-sprite sit at his feet, and said, "Give ear then attentively, and listen what divine nature is." And he uttered the verse —

The pure in heart who fear to sin, The good, kindly in word and deed — These are the beings in the world, Whose nature should be called divine.

And when the water- sprite heard that, his heart was touched, and he said to the Bodisat —

"O, Wise Teacher, in you I place my trust. I will give you up one of your brothers. Which shall I bring?"

"Bring me the younger of the two."