Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/359

Rh It behoves him who bears the name of king to try motives as with a balance. Since the royal dogs are not punished with death, whilst the poor dogs are, this is no sentence of death on all dogs, but slaughter of the weak."

Then the Great Being further lifted up his pleasant voice, and said, "Great king! That which you are doing is not justice;" and he taught the king the Truth in this stanza:

"The dogs brought up in the king's house. The thoroughbreds in birth and strength — Not these, but we, are to be killed. This is no righteous vengeance; this is slaughter of the weak!"

"When the king heard what the Bodisat said, he asked, "O Wise One, do you then know who it is has eaten the carriage leather?"

"Yes; I know it," said he.

"Who are they then?"

"It is the thoroughbreds living in your own house."

"But how can we know they are the guilty ones?"

"I will prove it to you."

"Prove it then, O sage!"

"Send for the thoroughbreds, and have a little buttermilk and Dabba grass brought in."

The king did so; and the Great Being said, "Have the grass crushed in the buttermilk, and give the dogs to drink."

The king did so; and each of the dogs, as they drank it, vomited it up, — and bits of leather with it.

Then the king was delighted as with a decision by the all-wise Buddha himself; and gave up his sceptre to the