different directions, and I will catch these arrows before they touch the ground, and lay them at the men's feet. You will know when I am gone for the arrows by the tinkling of this bell, but I shall not be seen." Then all at one moment the men shot the four arrows; he caught them and laid them at the men's feet, and was seen to be sitting upon the pillar. "Did you see my speed, O king?" he asked; then went on "that speed, O great king, is not my swiftest nor my middle speed, 'tis my slowest of the slow: and this will show you how swift I am." Then the king asked him, "Well, friend, is there any speed swifter than yours?" "There is, my friend. Swifter than my swiftest a hundredfold, a thousandfold, nay a hundred thousandfold, is the decay of the elements of life in living beings: so they crumble away, so they are destroyed." Thus he made clear, how the world of form crumbles away, being destroyed moment by moment. The king hearing this was in fear of death, could not keep his senses, but fell in a faint. The multitude were in despair, they sprinkled the king's face with water, and brought him round. Then the Great Being said to him, "O great king, fear not; [216] but remember death. Walk in righteousness, give alms and do good, be careful." Then the king answered and said, "My lord, without a wise teacher like you I cannot live, do not return to mount Cittakuta, but stay here, instruct me, be my teacher to teach me!" and he put this request in two stanzas:

"By hearing of the loved one love is fed,
By sight the craving for the lost falls dead:
Since sight and hearing makes men lief and dear,
With sight of you let me be favoured.

"Dear is your voice, and dearer far your presence when I see:
Then since I love the sight of you, O Goose, come dwell with me!"

The Bodhisatta said:

"Ever would I dwell with thee, in the honour thus conferred;
But thou mightst say in wine one day--"Broil me that royal Bird!"

[217] "No," said the king, "then I will never touch wine or strong drink," and he made this promise in the following stanza:

"Accursed be both food and drink I should love more than thee;
And I will taste no drop nor sup while thou shalt stay with me!"

After this the Bodhisatta recited six stanzas:

"The cry of jackals or of birds is understood with ease;
Yea, but the word of men, O king, is darker far than these!

"A man may think, "this is my friend, my comrade, of my kin,"
But friendship goes, and often hate and enmity begin .

"Who has your heart, is near to you, with you, where er he be;
But who dwells with you, and your heart estranged, afar is he.