Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/326

210 "When I was well pleased, I granted to the leader of the Banyan Deer a boon," said he. "I may give up my kingdom, but not my oath! Begone with you! Not a man in my kingdom shall be allowed to hurt the deer."

When the Banyan Deer heard that, he assembled the herds, and said, "Henceforth you are not allowed to eat other people's crops." And so forbidding them, he sent a message to the men: "Henceforth let the husbandmen put up no fence to guard their crops; but let them tie leaves round the edge of the field as a sign."

From that time, they say, the sign of the tying of leaves was seen in the fields, and from that time not a single deer trespassed beyond it; for such was the instruction they received from the Bodisat.

And the Bodisat continued thus his life long to instruct the deer, and passed away with his herd according to his deeds.

The king, too, hearkened to the exhortations of the Bodisat, and then, in due time, passed away, according to his deeds.

The Master, having finished the discourse in illustration of his saying, "Not only now was I the protector of the nun and of Kassapa the Prince; in a former birth I was the same," he fully expounded the Four Truths. And when he had told the double story, he made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka by saying, "He who was then the Monkey Deer was Deva-datta, his herd was Deva-datta's following, the roe was the nun, her son was Kassapa the Prince, the king was Ānanda, but the royal Banyan Deer was I myself."

END OF THE STORY OF THE BANYAN DEER.