Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/263

FOLK-TALES OF INDIA. 255 and played his tricks in his presence just as he had done in theirs. The Bodhisat, snapping his fingers at him (to frighten him away), gave him good advice, saying, "Since you (constantly) live in the presence of highly cultivated recluses you ought surely to be well conducted, very temperate in thought, word, and deed, and much given to meditation." From that time forth the monkey became well behaved and virtuous. Some time after this the Bodhisat went else-where.

When the hermits had provided themselves with salt, vinegar, &c. they returned to their former quarters. The monkey however did not play off his tricks before them as on former occasions. "Formerly," said the hermits, "you used to exhibit your tricks in our presence, now you don't; how's that?" Making this inquiry they uttered the following gâtha: —

On hearing this the monkey replied in the following gâtha: —

After hearing this the hermits spake the following gâtha: —

In days long since past, when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, the Bodhisat was reborn in the forest as a tree-sprite. There, during the wet season, it rained for seven weeks. At that time a little red-faced monkey took up its abode in a rock-cave sheltered from the rain; and