Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/137

Rh Having consoled her with these words he departed, and found the Bodhisat at the bank of the river drinking of the water of the Ganges. He addressed him as follows:—"O monkey-chief, why do you go about in this unsuitable sort of place, eating nauseous fruits? On yonder shore of the Ganges there is no end of mango and other trees, with sweet and agreeable fruits. Why should you not go there and eat of the various kinds of fruits?"

The monkey replied, "O king of the crocodiles, the Ganges is deep and wide, like a great sea, and difficult to cross; how shall I get there?"

"If you'll go I'll put you on my back and take you there."

The monkey believed him, and consented, saying,—"Let it be so."

"Well, get on my back," said the crocodile. The monkey mounted him. After going on for a short distance the crocodile plunged into the water.

The Bodhisat said, "Sir, you are plunging me into the water. Now what's the meaning of this, I pray?"

The crocodile made answer, "I am not going to take you, because I'm well-disposed by nature (toward you), but my wife has a longing for your heart, I am therefore desirous that she should have it to eat."

Said the monkey, "Well, sir, you have done a good thing in telling me, for I've left my heart behind me. Were we to take our hearts into the water they would be crushed to pieces as we went amongst the jagged snags in the river."

"But where have you left it?" asked the crocodile.

The Bodhisat chanced to see not far off an udumbara tree, loaded with clusters of ripe fruit, so he cried out, "Look, there are our hearts hanging on that udumbara tree yonder."

The crocodile said, "If you'll give me your heart I'll not kill you."

"Well," answered the monkey, "take me there, then, and I'll give you what's hanging on the tree."

He brought him to the place. The Bodhisat, springing up from his back, sat on the udumbara tree.

"O, foolish crocodile!" he said, "you thought the hearts of these creatures grew on the branches of trees, did you? You are a fool, so