Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/404

288 re-born as a female crane in a pool in a certain forest. And Sakka said to himself, "There's no sign of Well-born. I wonder where she can have got to!" And he considered the matter till he discovered her.

Then he went to the place, and brought her back with him to heaven, and showed her the delightful city with the Hall of Piety, and Thoughtful's Creeper Grove, and the Pond of Pleasing. And he then exhorted her, and said —

"These did works of charity, and have been born again as my attendants; but you, having done no such works, have been re-born as an animal. Henceforward live a life of righteousness!"

And thus confirming her in the Five Commandments, he took her back, and then dismissed her. And from that time forth she lived in righteousness.

A few days afterwards, Sakka went to see whether she was able to keep good, and he lay on his back before her in the form of a fish. Thinking it was dead, the crane seized it by the head. The fish wagged its tail.

"It's alive, I think!" exclaimed she, and let it go.

"Good! Good!" said Sakka, "You are well able to keep the Commandments." And he went away.

When she again changed her form of existence, she was born in a potter's household in Benares. Sakka, as before, found out where she was, and filled a cart with golden cucumbers, and seated himself in the middle of the village in the form of an old woman, calling out, "Buy my cucumbers! Buy my cucumbers!"

The people came up and asked for them.

"I sell," said she, "only to those who live a life of righteousness. Do you live such a life?"