Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/253

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FOLK-TALES OF INDIA. 245

The instructor was satisfied with his pupil. "My son," said he, "I have no wealth in my house, but I am desirous of giving my daughter in marriage to an honest man. I have made a trial of these young brahmans, and find that it is not fit that my daughter should take one of them for a husband." When he had adorned his daughter he gave her as a wife to the Bodbisat. To the rest he said, " Pray take away what you have each brought to my house."

The teacher (Buddha) said to the mendicants, " Thus indeed, mendicants, these dishonest persons, through their own lack of virtue, did not get this woman for a wife. The other wise person by his honesty did win her." Then the enlightened one uttered the following gdtha : —

" Five hundred brahman youths to love inclined, To gain a wife feared not the law to break ; By stealth they robbed their dearest friends on earth, And, honour lost, they missed the prize they sought. How could a brahman wise, in all laws skilled, Transgress the law, for all on earth that's dear ? He firm and honest is and scorns a lie, The law he doth regard and virtue prize."

The Asilakkhawa JAtaka.* The7'e is nothing good or bad in sneezing.

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, he had at his court a brahman conversant with the qualities of swords. He, it is said, when a sword was brought to the king, used to tell its quality by smeJling it. If any one made him a present, he passed his sword, saying, " It's up to the mark, and fit to be a state sword." If he received none, he cried down the sword, saying, " It's below the mark."

Now a certain smith made a sword, and put finely-ground pepper into the scabbard. He took it to the king, who sent for the brahman, and said, " Test the sword." While the brahman was drawing the sword along his nose, taking a sniff at it, the pepper-dust entered his nostrils, and excited a desire to sneeze. As he sneezed, the top of his nose was cut off by the sharp edge of the sword.


 * Jdtaha Booh, vol. i. No. 126, p. 455.