they were both the same colour, they were known respectively by the names of Big Redcoat and Little Redcoat. Now it happened that the master's daughter was soon to be married; accordingly he began fattening a certain Pig, named Munika, for the wedding feast. When Little Redcoat saw the abundant food that was given to Munika, he complained to his brother: "All the loads for this household have been drawn by you and me, my Brother; but all that they give us in payment is sorry grass and straw to eat, yet here is this Pig, Munika, being fed on rice! Why should he be treated to such dainty fare?" Big Redcoat replied: "Do not be envious of the Pig, dear Brother, since the food that Munika eats is the food of death. The reason that he is being fattened is because he is to furnish the feast for the wedding of our master's daughter. Before long the wedding guests will arrive, and then you will see our friend Munika dragged out of his pen and chopped up and made into a savoury curry."
Not long afterwards the wedding guests arrived, as big Redcoat had predicted, and Munika was killed and made into all manner of savoury dishes. "Did you see what happened to Munika, dear Brother?" asked Big Redcoat. "Indeed I did," replied Little Redcoat. "It is better a hundred-fold to content ourselves with the food we get, even though it be only grass and straw, for it is a pledge that our lives will not be cut short."
(Munika Jataka, No. 30.)
THE STUPID MONKEYS
ONCE upon a time a tribe of Monkeys made their home in the pleasure-garden of the King of Benares. On a certain holiday, when the drum was beaten to call the people together, the King's
