The Katha Sarit Sagara or Ocean of the Streams of Story Part 34

There was a certain foolish king, who was n.i.g.g.ardly, though he possessed an abundant treasure, and once on a time his ministers, who desired his prosperity, said to him: "King, charity here averts misery in the next life. So bestow wealth in charity; life and riches are perishable." When the king heard this, he said, "Then I will bestow wealth, when I am dead, and see myself reduced to a state of misery here." Then the ministers remained silent, laughing in their sleeves.

"So, you see, a fool never takes leave of his wealth, until his wealth takes leave of him. You have heard, prince, of the foolish king, now hear the story of the two friends, by way of an episode in these tales of fools."

Story of Dhavalamukha, his trading friend, and his fighting friend. [73]

There was a king in Kanyakubja, named Chandrapida. And he had a servant named Dhavalamukha. And he, whenever he came to his house, had eaten and drunk abroad. And one day his wife asked him,--"Where do you always eat and drink before you come home?" And Dhavalamukha answered her, "I always eat and drink with my friends before I come home, for I have two friends in the world. The one is called Kalyanavarman, who obliges me with food and other gifts, and the other is Virabahu, who would oblige me with the gift of his life." When his wife heard this, she said to Dhavalamukha, "Then shew me your two friends."

Then he went with her to the house of Kalyanavarman, and Kalyanavarman honoured him with a splendid entertainment. The next day he went with his wife to Virabahu, and he was gambling at the time, so he welcomed him and dismissed him. Then Dhavalamukha's wife, being full of curiosity, said to him: "Kalyanavarman entertained you splendidly, but Virabahu only gave you a welcome. So why do you think more highly of Virabahu than of the other?" When he heard that, he said, "Go and tell them both in succession this fabrication, that the king has suddenly become displeased with us, and you will find out for yourself." She agreed, and went to Kalyanavarman and told him that falsehood, and he answered: "Lady, I am a merchant's son, what can I do against the king?" When he gave her this answer, she went to Virabahu, and told him also that the king was angry with her husband; and the moment he heard it, he came running with his s.h.i.+eld and his sword. But Dhavalamukha induced him to return home, saying that the king's ministers had pacified his resentment. And he said to his wife: "This, my dear, is the difference between those two friends of mine." And she was quite satisfied.

"So you see that a friend, that shews his friends.h.i.+p by ceremonious entertainment only, is a different thing from a real friend; though oil and ghee both possess the property of oiliness, [74] oil is oil, and ghee is ghee." When Gomukha had told this story, he continued his tales of fools for the benefit of Naravahanadatta.

Story of the thirsty fool that did not drink.

A certain foolish traveller, tormented by thirst, having with difficulty got through a wood, reached a river; however, he did not drink of it, but kept looking at the water. Some one said to him: "Why do you not drink water, though you are thirsty?" But the blockhead answered, "How could I drink so much water as this?" The other person ridiculed him, saying, "What! will the king punish you, if you drink it all up?" But still the foolish man did not drink the water.

"So you see that in this world fools will not even do a part of a task to the best of their power, if they are not able to complete it altogether. Now you have heard about the fool and the water, hear the story of the son-slayer."

Story of the fool who killed his son.

There was once a foolish man, who was poor and had many sons. When one of his sons died, he killed another, saying, How could this child go such a long journey alone? So he was banished by the people, as being a fool and a criminal.

"Thus a fool is as void of sense and discernment as an animal. You have heard of the son-killer, now hear the story of the fool and his brother."

Story of the fool and his brother.

A certain stupid fellow was talking in a crowd of men. Seeing a respectable man some way off, he said: "That man there is brother to me, so I shall inherit his property, but I am no relation to him, so I am not liable for his debts." When the fool said this, even the stones laughed at him.

Thus fools shew folly, and people blinded by the thought of their own advantage behave in a very wonderful way. So you have heard the story of the fool and his brother, now hear the story of the man whose father followed a strict vow of chast.i.ty."

Story of the Brahmacharin's son.

A certain fool was engaged in relating his father's good qualities in the midst of his friends. And describing his father's superior excellence, he said: "My father has followed a strict vow of chast.i.ty from his youth, there is no man who can be compared with him." When his friends heard that, they said, "How did you come into the world?" He answered "Oh! I am a mind-born son of his;" whereupon the matchless fool was well laughed at by the people. [75]

"Thus foolish people make self-contradictory statements with regard to others. You have heard the story of the son of the man who observed a strict vow of chast.i.ty. Hear now the story of the astrologer."

Story of the astrologer who killed his son.

There was a certain astrologer wanting in discernment. He left his own country with his wife and son, because he could not earn a subsistence, and went to another country. There he made a deceitful display of his skill, in order to gain complimentary presents by a fact.i.tious reputation for ability. He embraced his son before the public and shed tears. When the people asked him why he did this, the wicked man said: "I know the past, the present, and the future, and that enables me to foresee that this child of mine will die in seven days from this time: this is why I am weeping." By these words he excited the wonder of the people, and when the seventh day arrived, he killed his son in the morning, as he lay asleep. When the people saw that his son was dead, they felt confidence in his skill, and honoured him with presents, and so he acquired wealth and returned leisurely to his own country.

"Thus foolish men, through desire of wealth, go so far as to kill their sons, in order to make a false display of prescience; the wise should not make friends with such. Now hear the story of the foolish man who was addicted to anger."

Story of the violent man who justified his character.

One day a man was relating to his friends, inside a house, the good qualities of a man, who was listening outside. Then a person present said: "It is true, my friend, that he possesses many good qualities, but he has two faults; he is violent and irascible." While he was saying this, the man, who was outside, overhearing him, entered hastily, and twisted his garment round his throat, and said: "You fool, what violence have I done, what anger have I been guilty of?" This he said in an abusive way, inflamed with the fire of anger. Then the others who were there laughed, and said to him, "Why should he speak? You have been good enough to give us ocular demonstration of your anger and your violence."

"So you see that fools do not know their own faults, though they are patent to all men. Now hear about the foolish king who made his daughter grow."

Story of the foolish king who made his daughter grow. [76]

A certain king had a handsome daughter born to him. On account of his great affection for her, he wished to make her grow, so he quickly summoned physicians, and said politely to them: "Make some preparation of salutary drugs, in order that my daughter may grow up quickly, and be married to a good husband." When the physicians heard this, they said, in order to get a living out of the silly king: "There is a medicine which will do this, but it can only be procured in a distant country, and while we are sending for it, we must shut up your daughter in concealment, for this is the treatment laid down for such cases." When they had said this, they placed his daughter in concealment there for many years, saying that they were engaged in bringing that medicine. And when she grew up to be a young woman, they shewed her to that king, telling him that she had been made to grow by the medicine; and he was pleased, and loaded them with heaps of wealth.

"In this way rogues by means of imposture live on foolish sovereigns. Now hear the story of a man who shewed his cleverness by recovering half a pana."

Story of the man who recovered half a pana from his servant. [77]

There was once on a time a man living in a town, who was vain of his wisdom. And a certain villager, who had served him for a year, being dissatisfied with his salary, left him and went home. And when he had gone, the town-bred gentleman said to his wife,--"My dear, I hope you did not give him anything before he went?" She answered, "Half a pana." Then he spent ten panas in provisions for the journey, and overtook that servant on the bank of a river, and recovered from him that half pana. And when he related it as a proof of his skill in saving money, he became a public laughing-stock.

"Thus men, whose minds are blinded with wealth, fling away much to gain little. Now hear the story of the man who took notes of the spot."

Story of the fool who took notes of a certain spot in the sea. [78]

A certain foolish person, while travelling by sea, let a silver vessel fall from his hand into the water. The fool took notes of the spot, observing the eddies and other signs in the water, and said to himself: "I will bring it up from the bottom, when I return." He reached the other side of the sea, and as he was re-crossing, he saw the eddies and other signs, and thinking he recognized the spot, he plunged into the water again and again to recover his silver vessel. When the others asked him what his object was, he told them, and got well laughed at and abused for his pains.

"Now hear the story of the king who wished to subst.i.tute other flesh for what he had taken away."

Story of the king who replaced the flesh. [79]

A foolish king saw from his palace two men below. And seeing that one of them had taken flesh from the kitchen, he had five palas of flesh cut from his body. When the flesh had been cut away, the man groaned and fell on the earth, and the king, seeing him, was moved with compa.s.sion, and said to the warder: "His grief cannot be a.s.suaged because five palas of flesh were cut from him, so give him more than five palas of flesh by way of compensation." The warder said: "When a man's head is cut off, does he live even if you give him a hundred heads?" Then he went outside and had his laugh out, and comforted the man from whom the flesh had been cut, and handed him over to the physicians.

"So you see, a silly king knows how to punish, but not how to shew favour. Hear this story of the silly woman who wanted another son."

Story of the woman who wanted another son. [80]

One day a woman with only one son, desiring another, applied to a wicked female ascetic belonging to a heretical sect. The ascetic told her that, if she killed her young son and offered him to the divinity, another son would certainly be born to her. When she was preparing to carry out this advice, another and a good old woman said to her in private: "Wicked woman, you are going to kill the son you have already, and wish to get another. Supposing a second is not born to you, what will you do?" So that good old woman dissuaded her from crime.