Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/74

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In days long since past, when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, the Bodhisat was his jewel of a minister. The King of Benares was of a slothful disposition. "I'll teach the king a lesson," said the Bodhisat, and as he went about he looked out for some expedient. It came to pass one day, as the king was going to his garden, attended by his ministers, he saw a slow-creeping gajakumbha. It is indeed of so sluggish a nature that even if it goes on a whole day it only advances one or two inches. On seeing it the king asked, "What may that be?" The Bodhisat replied, "Sire, that's surely a gajakumbha. Such is its sluggish nature that if it goes on moving for a whole day it only gets over one or two inches of ground at the most." Then addressing himself to the gajakumbha, he said, "O worm, slow is thy gait; what will you do if a fire breaks out in this wood?" Then he gave utterance to the following gâtha:—

On hearing this the gajakumbha spake the following gâtha:—

Then the Bodhisat replied in the following gâthas:—

After hearing the word of the Bodhisat the king from that time forward became (more) energetic.