No. 467.

KAMA-JATAKA.

[167] "He that desires," etc. This story the Master told while dwelling at Jetavana, about a certain brahmin.

A brahmin, so they say, who dwelt at Savatthi, was felling trees on the bank of the Aciravati, in order to cultivate the land. The Master perceiving his destiny , when he visited Savatthi for alms, went out of his road to talk sweetly with him. "What are you doing, brahmin?" he asked."O Gotama," said the man, "I am cutting a space free for cultivation." "Very good," he replied, "go on with your work, brahmin." In the same manner the Master came and talked with him when the felled trunks were all away, and the man was clearing his acre, and again at plowing time, and at making the little embanked squares for water . Now on the day of sowing, the brahmin said, "To-day, O Gotama, is my plowing festival . When this corn is ripe, I will give alms in plenty to the Order, with the Buddha at their head." The Master accepted his offer, and went away. On another day he came, and saw the brahmin watching the corn. "What are you doing, brahmin?" asked he. "Watching the corn, O Gotama!" "Very good, brahmin," said the Master, and away he went. Then the brahmin thought, "How often Gotama the ascetic comes this way! Without doubt he wants food. Well, food I will give him." On the day when this thought came into his mind, when he went home, there he found the Master come also. Thereat arose in the brahmin a wondrous great confidence.

By and bye, when ripe was the corn, the brahmin resolved, to-morrow he would reap the field. But while he lay in bed, in the upper reaches of the Aciravati the rain poured in bucketsful: down came a flood, and carried the whole crop away to the sea, so that not one stalk was left. When the flood