Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/377

Rh "Then do so, my friend," said the king. And the Bodisat got holy men to sit near the elephant's stall, telling them to talk of holy things.

So, seated not far from the elephant, they began: "No one should be struck, no one killed. The man of upright conduct ought to be patient, loving, and merciful."

On hearing this, he thought, "It is me these men are teaching; from this time forth I am to be good!" And so he became tame and quiet.

The king asked the Bodisat, "How is it, my friend? Is he quieted?"

"Yes, my Lord! The elephant, bad as he was, has, because of the wise men, been re-established in his former character." And so saying, he uttered the stanza:

By listening first to robbers' talk, 'Girly-face' went about to kill. By listening to men with hearts well trained, The stately elephant stood firm once more In all the goodness he had lost.

Then the king gave great honour to the Bodisat for understanding the motives even of one born as an animal. And he lived to a good old age, and, with the Bodisat, passed away according to his deeds.

The Teacher having finished this discourse, in illustration of what he had said ("Formerly also, O monk, you used to follow any one you met. When you heard what thieves said, you followed thieves; when you heard what