said, "If he tries to escape yon must hold him firmly." Then he spake the following gâtha:—
"On trust yo took this crow's good deeds,
Without due proof ye sang his praise.
Good things the vile crow speaks with tongue,
Yet do his deeds his words belie.
The smooth in words, but hard in heart.
Like snake in grass doth hidden lie;
Before men's eyes he virtue flaunts,
And blinds the eyes of foolish folk.
With beak and wings, and eke with feet,
Come strike and slay this caitiff crow,
As warning to all hypocrites,
With us to live he is unfit."
Thus having spoken the old bird himself now sprang up and with his beak struck the crow on the head; the rest with beak, feet, and wings beat him, and in that very place he came to an untimely end.
The Kaccâni Jâtaka.[1]
The sorrows of a Mother-in-law who thought that Justice was dead, and made Offerings to its Manes.
In days gone by, when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, there lived a certain young man who came of a good family and was virtuously disposed. On the death of his father he became his mother's guardian angel; he took the greatest care of her, attended to all her wants, performed for her the most menial offices, and provided her with suitable and nourishing food. "My dear," said his mother to him one day, "there are other duties pertaining to the master of the house (besides attending to me); pray get a wife of the same caste as yourself; she'll take care of me, and you will then have time to attend to your own affairs." To which he replied, "Mother, dear, I am looking after my own interests and happiness in caring for you. Who else, think you, will have the same solicitude for you as I?" "That's all very well, my son," said she, "but you ought to do something to promote the welfare and prosperity of your family." He
- ↑ Jâtaka Book, vol. iii. No. 417, p. 422.
