Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 21.djvu/152

Rh fellows go and seek the poor man and engage him for such work as mentioned. Thereupon the two fellows conjointly with the poor man clear the heap of dirt in the house for the daily pay they receive from the rich man, while they take up their abode in a hovel of straw 1 in the neighbourhood of the rich mans dwelling. And that rich man beholds through a window his own son clearing the heap of dirt, at which sight he is anew struck with wonder and astonishment.

Then the householder descends from his mansion, lays off his wreath and ornaments, parts with his soft, clean, and gorgeous attire, puts on dirty raiment, takes a basket in his right hand, smears his body with dust, and goes to his son, whom he greets from afar, and thus addresses: Please, take the baskets and without delay remove the dust. By this device he manages to speak to his son, to have a talk with him and say: Do, sirrah, remain here in my service; do not go again to another place; I will give thee extra pay, and whatever thou wantest thou mayst confidently ask me, be it the price of a pot, a smaller pot, a boiler or wood, or be it the

The MSS. vary considerably, and are moreover inconsistent in their readings of this word. One has ; another, g.   (r.  ° or  °); a third,   (mere nonsense for  )   is evidently a variation of ,   being a Mdgadhf form for  , or the Prakrit of   or. The 11 is clearly wrong. may mean mat, straw, and boards.