Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/439

Rh Long ago, when Brahma-datta was reigning in Benāres, the Bodisat came to life again as a landowner. He had a friend, also a landowner, who was old himself, but whose wife was young. She had a son by him; and he said to himself, —

"As this woman is young, she will, after my death, be taking some husband to herself, and squandering the money I have saved. What, now, if I were to make away with the money under the earth?"

And he took a slave in the house named Nanda, went into the forest, buried the treasure in a certain spot of which he informed the slave, and instructed him, saying, "My good Nanda! when I am gone, do you let my son know where the treasure is; and be careful the wood is not sold!"

Very soon after he died; and in due course his son became of age. And his mother said to him, "My dear! your father took Nanda the slave with him, and buried his money. You should have it brought back, and put the family estates into order."

And one day he accordingly said to Nanda, "Uncle! is there any money which my father buried?"

"Yes, Sir!" said he.

"Where is it buried?"

"In the forest, Sir."

"Then come along there." And taking a spade and a bag, he went to the place whereabouts the treasure was, and said, "Now, uncle, where is the money?"

But when Nanda had got up on to the spot above the treasure, he became so proud of it, that he abused his young master roundly, saying, "You servant! You son of a slave-girl! Where, then, did you get treasure from here?"