Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/56

48 dd Very long ago, when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, the Bodhisat was re-born as a tree-sprite. At that time, close to Benares, there had sprung up a village of carpenters. A certain artisan, on going to the forest for wood, found a young hog that had fallen into a pit, took it home and brought it up. When it grew to its full size it became bigbodied, had curved tusks, and behaved itself properly. But because it was reared up by the carpenter it always went by the name of the carpenter's hog. When the carpenter was engaged in chopping down a tree the hog used to drag off the tree with its snout, laying hold of it with its mouth, collected the adze and hatchet, chisel and mallet, and took up the end of the measuring line. At last the carpenter, through fear lest any one should (steal and) eat it, brought it with him and let it loose in the wood. The hog went into the forest, and, on looking about for a safe and pleasant dwelling-place, saw among the mountains an immense cave, a pleasant abode abounding in tubers, roots, and fruits. He saw there several hundreds of hogs, and went and joined them. He also said to them, "I happened to catch sight of you as I was wandering about just now, and since I have met with you and have come across this delightful spot I shall now at once take up my abode here along with you."

"It's quite true," they replied, "that this is a pleasant place, but it is not free from danger." "I was aware of that, too, as soon as I saw you, because I noticed that those living here were lean and pale. But what have you to be afraid of here?"

"A tiger comes here very early, takes whichever he sees and off he goes," they replied. "But does he take his prey constantly (day by day), or only at intervals?" he asked. "Constantly," they answered. "But how many tigers are there?" "Only one." "Are not so