Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/358

 350 FOLK-TALES OF INDIA.

prince and set liim on the bank. And as soon as he perceived the snake, rat, and parrot, he removed them from the log and brought them all to his hermitage. Then he lighted a fire, thinking to him- self — " These creatures are very much exhausted (with the cold)." First he caused the bodies of the snake, rat, and parrot to undergo a sweating, and then he put the prince under similar treatment. When he had quite brought them round he also gave them food, first of all to the snake and its companions, and afterwards to the king's son.

The prince thought to himself : " This deceitful hermit takes no account of me, the king's son, but does honour to these brute creatures." Whereat he conceived a grudge against the Bodhisat and took a greater dislike to him.

After the lapse of some few days all these creatures got well and strong, and the river-floods began to subside; then, the snake saluting, the hermit said, " Sir, you have rendered us a very great service, but I am by no means poor, as I have forty hotis of gold that lie hidden in such and such a spot. If you have need of money I can give you all of it. When you come to the place I have just mentioned you must call out * Snake ! '" and with these words he took leave of him and departed.

The parrot, too, saluted the hermit, addressing him as follows : — " Sir, I have no money, but should you ever have need of red rice, come to such and such a place, wherein I take up my abode, and sum- mon 'Parrot'; and forthwith I'll give notice to my kith and kin, who can furnish you with several cartloads of red rice." Having made this speech he took his leave and departed.

But the king's son, on account of his perfidious and perverse disposition, actually said nothing at all, but thought to himself, hermit, '* When I become king, sir, you must pay me a visit, and I will take care of you all." So saying he departed. Not long after this the prince became king, and the Bodhisat thought to himself, I'll now make a trial of these creatures, and put their professions to the proof. First, he paid a visit to the snake, and, standing at no great distance off, called out " Snake ! " At that one word out came the creature at once and saluted the Bodhisat, saying, " Sir, in this very
 * When he comes to see me I'll murder him." Then he said to the