able to recite the whole of the four verses, but uttering only one syllable of each, sank down again into the Lohakumbha copper-pot." Thus Para Taken completed his narration.

The king, on hearing the words of Para Taken, trembled, and impressed with the law of fear, he exclaimed, "To transgress against the wives of others and commit adultery is a grievous thing. To boil in the lowest hell during the whole interval between one Para and another, then leaving that hell to be boiled again for the whole of sixty thousand years in the Lohakumbha hell-pot of sixty yoganas, with no time of deliverance appearing! Yet I have passed a sleepless night in planning adultery. From this day forth, never will I transgress regarding the wife of another." Then he said to Para Taken, "This day I know how long a night is." The woman's husband also said, "I too know this day how long a yogana is." Para Taken, in reference to the words of both, recited this poetry, "Great king, to him who cannot sleep, the night is long; to him who is weary, a yogana's journey is long; to the foolish who know not the law of the righteous, the life to come is long."

After Para Taken had preached as related, the young man was established in the reward of Sotapatti, and the assembly who had heard the law were also established in the reward of Sotapatti. King Pasenadikosala paid homage to Para Taken and went away. All the creatures who were about to die were released

from their bonds. The husband and wife, knowing that they owed their lives to Queen Mallika, expressed the gratitude they owed her.

1 See 'Dhammapada,' verse 60.

The four Thuthe's sons who have suffered in hell ever since they lived for twenty thousand years in the time of the Para Kassapa, these hell-creatures when they repeated the four syllables "du," " sa," "na," "so, were up on the surface; since it takes thirty thousand years to go from top to bottom, they have not yet reached the bottom, but are now only in the middle. Such is the story of the four Thuthe's sons, who, after committing adultery with the wives of others, had to suffer in hell.

END OF THE STORY OF THE FOUR THUTHE'S SONS.

CHAPTER XVI.

STORY OF THE MODEST GIRL.

WHEN Para Taken was in the Vesali country, among the Devadhamma verses1 he recited the Hiri law,2 illustrating it by an account of a young villagegirl, who by possessing the virtue of modesty, had reached the rank of a queen; and he also related how in a former time she had given birth to a jewel-son, the embryo Kakravarti king.

At one time in the Vesali country, when Parā Taken was residing there, there was a king named Likkhavi, who was excessively handsome. One day he made offerings of food to Para Taken and his assembly of Rahans, and, in company with his queen, listened to the law. When Para Taken had finished his exposition, he went away. The Rahans observed to each other that King Likkhavi's queen was by no means handsome, that she was very large and had big hands, but that she was certainly possessed of modesty. Para Taken, overhearing their conversation, said :

"Rahans, my beloved sons, this is not so only now, but it was just the same in former times, when King Likkhavi was King Brahmadatta, ruling over the 2 Modesty.

1 Divine law.

Benares country; at that time I was the king's minister. There was then residing in a village a young girl of an appearance not at all handsome, with a large body and big hands. This girl came on one occasion to Benares to see her relations. The king, happening to be looking out of his palace window as the girl passed by, saw her; and remarked that out of modesty, she was careful that her clothes should not fly open as she walked along.' Thinking that if he made so modest a woman his queen, she would not fail to present him with a son of great glory, he called to a nobleman who was near him, and told him to go and inquire whether she had a husband or not. The king, hearing that she was unmarried, took her and raised her to the rank of his queen, and always held her in the highest respect.

"The queen, before very long, fulfilled the king's expectations by giving birth to a son who had every sign of wisdom and glory. This son attained the rank of a Kakravarti king.

"This virtue of modesty is very rarely found. It has nothing to do with beauty or ugliness; let a person be as beautiful as you will, it is not worth talking about (in comparison).

"Rahans, my dear children, they who at that time were the king and queen of Benares are now King Likkhavi and his queen; and the nobleman is now I, the Para."

END OF THE STORY OF THE MODEST GIRL.

1 The dress of the Burmese women is simply a square cloth, worn round the body, and tucked in at the waist and above the breast; in walking, if not careful, the women expose the leg.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE STORY ABOUT GRATITUDE.

IN the Devadhamma verses, the person who was called Sabburisa was Katānukatavedi. Para Taken, while he was in the Getavana monastery, related the circumstances connected with his receiving the name of Sabburisa.

In former times, I, then the Paralaun,' was the guardian Nat of a castor-oil' tree in the country of Benares. The people of the country used to make offerings to me of delicately flavoured dainties and flowers. At this time a poor man came and made an offering of a piece of bread and a cup of water. The Parālaun, the Nat of the castor-oil tree, appeared to him and said, "Ho! you poor man. Why do you make an offering to me?" He replied, My lord Nat-King, I make an offering to you because I wish to be delivered from poverty." The Parālaun reflecting, "It is right that I should pay him the debt of gratitude I

1 One who is to become a Pară.

2 The castor-oil is only a plant; some other tree is probably meant, as Nats are always described as residing in large trees, not shrubs and plants. The Burmese text and manuscript, however, both distinctly say "castor-oil."