Bodhisattva
Once upon a time, while Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisattva came to life at the foot of Himalaya as a Monkey. He grew strong and sturdy, big of frame, well-to-do, and lived by a curve of the river Ganges in a forest haunt.
Now at that time there was a Crocodile dwelling in the Ganges. The Crocodile�s mate saw the great frame of the monkey, and she conceived a longing for his heart to eat.
So she said to her lord:
- �Sir, I desire to eat the heart of that great king of the monkeys !�
- �Good wife,� said the Crocodile, �I live in the water and he lives on dry land: how can we catch him ?�
- �By hook or by crook,� she replied, �caught he must be. If I don�t get him, I shall die.�
- �All right,� answered the Crocodile, consoling her, �don�t trouble yourself. I have a plan; I will give you his heart to eat.�
So when the Bodhisatta was sitting on the bank of the Ganges, after taking a drink of water, the Crocodile drew near, and said:
- �Sir Monkey, why do you live on bad fruits in this old familiar place ? On the other side of the Ganges there is no end to the mango trees, and labuja trees, with fruit sweet as honey ! Is it not better to cross over and have all kinds of wild fruit to eat ?�
- �Lord Crocodile,� the Monkey made answer, �deep and wide is the Ganges: how shall I get across ?�
- �If you will go, I will mount you on my back, and carry you over.�
The Monkey trusted him, and agreed.
- �Come here, then,� said the other, �up on my back with you !� and up the Monkey climbed.
But when the Crocodile had swum a little way, he plunged the Monkey under the water.
- �Good friend, you are letting me sink !� cried the Monkey. �What is that for ?�
Said the Crocodile:
- �You think I am carrying you out of pure good nature ? Not a bit of it ! My wife has a longing for your heart, and I want to give it to her to eat !�
- �Friend,� said the Monkey, �it is nice of you to tell me. Why, if our heart were inside us when we go jumping among the tree-tops, it would be all knocked to pieces !�
- �Well, where do you keep it ?� asked the other.
The Bodhisatta pointed out a fig tree, with clusters of ripe fruit, standing not far off.
- �See,� said he, �there are our hearts hanging on yon fig tree.�
- �If you will show me your heart,� said the Crocodile, �then I won�t kill you.�
- �Take me to the tree, then, and I will point it out to you hanging upon it.�
The Crocodile brought him to the place. The Monkey leapt off his back, and climbing up the fig tree sat upon it.
- �O silly Crocodile !� said he, �you thought that there were creatures that kept their hearts in a tree top ! You are a fool, and I have outwitted you ! You may keep your fruit to yourself. Your body is great, but you have no sense.�
And then to explain this idea he uttered the following stanzas:
- �Rose-apple, jack-fruit, mangoes too across the water there I see;
Enough of them, I want them not; my fig is good enough for me !
�Great is your body, verily, but how much smaller is your wit ! Now go your ways, Sir Crocodile, for I have had the best of it.�
The Crocodile, feeling as sad and miserable as if he had lost a thousand pieces of money, went back sorrowing to the place where he lived.
